A case study of occipital outgrowth: a rare suboccipital abnormality.

PURPOSE: To describe the clinical and radiological characteristics of uncommon upper cervical spine abnormality in children. METHODS: Clinical and diagnostic characteristics of three patients aged 6-12 years with a similar uncommon type of occipital anomaly are described. The patients were admitted in 2007, 2009, and 2014, respectively. RESULTS: All patients were clinically and radiologically examined. In each case the massive, additional unilateral outgrowth of the occipital bone (os occipitale) was visualized. The signs and symptoms included torticollis, acute brain ischemia, and limited head motion. Two of the three patients underwent surgical treatment: an occipital-cervical fusion was performed in the first patient, and the outgrowth was removed in the second patient. After 1 year of follow-up the results were estimated as good for both patients, with better functional outcome for the second patient. The parents of the third patient did not consent for the surgical treatment. CONCLUSIONS: The unique features of this abnormality distinguish it from previous descriptions of the manifestation of pro-atlas, atlas, or atlanto-occipital synostosis. The presented abnormality had different manifestation of various severity in each case, from torticollis to acute vascular disorder. STUDY DESIGN: Clinical case series. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: IV.

Surgical treatment of spondylitis and diaphragm relaxation in patient less than 1 year old.

DESIGN: Case report. INTRODUCTION: The combination of severe post-infectious kyphosis and diaphragm relaxation is extremely rare in patient early than 1 year old. Its no publications concerning their simultaneous surgical treatment. CASE DESCRIPTION: 7-Month-old girl had simultaneous spinal reconstruction with anterior and posterior instrumentation and plastic of diaphragm because of sequelae of non-granulenatous spondylitis complicated by severe kyphosis (54°) and diaphragm relaxation. Between 1.5 and 3 months of live she had several infections incl. pneumonia, enterocolitis, ENT infection. Anterior fusion was done by titanium mesh with auto-rib, posterior - by compressive rods based on low-profile hooks. The deformity was reduced till 20°. 2.5 years after initial surgery and 1 year after removal of posterior instrumentation the adequate level of diaphragm and minimal (4°) loss of kyphosis correction were identified. CONCLUSIONS: The combination of spondylitis and diaphragm relaxation in early aged patient could be explained but it could not be confirmed as a sequelae of late-onset neonatal sepsis with a multi-focal lesions. The simultaneous surgery provided on the combined approaches (trans-thoracic and posterior) looks as optimal options in such combination of pathologies. In remains controversial how will the spine develop after so early reconstructive surgery, including in situ stable anterior fusion carried out by titanium mesh with auto-rib.

Neurological complications of spinal tuberculosis in children.

Neurological complications of thoracic and lumbar spinal tuberculosis were studied in 32 patients under the age of 16 years. The majority had lesions involving three or more vertebral bodies. Paraplegia occurred in 8 patients and was always associated with bladder and bowel dysfunction. Lesions located at T4/5 were most commonly accompanied by paraplegia. Deterioration of the neurological status was related to the degree of spinal stenosis, whereas the degree of kyphosis was of less importance. Radiculopathy is rare in children with Pott's disease.