Jha Ruchira M, Klimo Paul, Smith Edward R
Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
J Neurosurg Pediatr. 2008 Aug;2(2):136-8. doi: 10.3171/PED/2008/2/8/136.
Achondroplasia has a known association with foramen magnum stenosis that can result in cervicomedullary compression, which is most often due to a hypertrophied posterior occipital rim and an undersized transverse diameter. The authors present a unique case of a child with achondroplasia with symptomatic craniocervical compression from marked overgrowth of his opisthion anterior to the posterior arch of the atlas. This 22-month-old child with achondroplasia presented with severe respiratory and motor disabilities, including progressive quadriparesis and apneic episodes requiring continuous positive airway pressure. Magnetic resonance imaging and CT scans revealed marked foramen magnum stenosis from overgrowth of the opisthion, a hypoplastic C-1 ring, and spinal cord edema at the cervicomedullary junction. Foramen magnum decompression and a C-1 laminectomy were performed. Postoperatively, steady motor improvement has been observed and the patient no longer requires ventilatory support. To the authors' knowledge, this is the first report of this unusual anatomical entity.
软骨发育不全与枕大孔狭窄存在已知关联,可导致颈髓受压,这通常是由于枕骨后缘肥厚和横径过小所致。作者报告了一例独特的软骨发育不全患儿病例,其症状性颅颈受压是由寰椎后弓前方的后囟明显过度生长引起的。这名22个月大的软骨发育不全患儿出现了严重的呼吸和运动障碍,包括进行性四肢瘫痪和需要持续气道正压通气的呼吸暂停发作。磁共振成像和CT扫描显示,后囟过度生长导致明显的枕大孔狭窄、C1环发育不全以及颈髓交界处的脊髓水肿。实施了枕大孔减压术和C1椎板切除术。术后,观察到运动功能稳步改善,患者不再需要通气支持。据作者所知,这是关于这种不寻常解剖结构的首次报告。