Atlantoaxial Instability Differential Diagnoses

  • Author: Daxes Banit, MD; Chief Editor: Mary Ann E Keenan, MD   more...
 
Updated: May 13, 2010
 
 

Differential Diagnoses

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Contributor Information and Disclosures
Author

Daxes Banit, MD  Spine Fellow, Charlotte Orthopedic Specialists, PA

Daxes Banit, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Medical Association

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Coauthor(s)

Daniel Murrey, MD  Clinical Faculty, Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Carolinas Medical Center; Consulting Surgeon, Presbyterian Orthopedic Hospital; Co-President, OrthoCarolina

Daniel Murrey, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, American College of Physician Executives, American Medical Association, North American Spine Society, and North Carolina Medical Society

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Bruce Darden II, MD  Director, Spine Surgery Fellowship, Charlotte Spine Center

Bruce Darden II, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, American Medical Association, North American Spine Society, North Carolina Medical Society, Scoliosis Research Society, Southern Medical Association, and Southern Orthopaedic Association

Disclosure: Synthes Consulting fee Speaking and teaching; Synthes Grant/research funds Other; Synthes fellowship support Other; Stryker Royalty Other; Stryker Consulting fee Consulting; Orthovita Ownership interest Consulting

Specialty Editor Board

James F Kellam, MD  Vice-Chair, Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Director of Orthopedic Trauma and Education, Carolinas Medical Center

James F Kellam, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, Orthopaedic Trauma Association, and Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Francisco Talavera, PharmD, PhD  Senior Pharmacy Editor, eMedicine

Disclosure: eMedicine Salary Employment

William O Shaffer, MD  Professor, Vice-Chairman and Residency Program Director, Department of Orthopedic Surgery, University of Kentucky at Lexington

William O Shaffer, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, American Orthopaedic Association, International Society for the Study of the Lumbar Spine, Kentucky Medical Association, Kentucky Orthopaedic Society, North American Spine Society, Southern Medical Association, and Southern Orthopaedic Association

Disclosure: DePuySpine 1997-2007 (not presently) Royalty Consulting; DePuySpine 2002-2007 (closed) Grant/research funds SacroPelvic Instrumentation Biomechanical Study; DePuyBiologics 2005-2008 (closed) Grant/research funds Healos study just closed; DePuySpine 2009 Consulting fee Design of Offset Modification of Expedium

Dinesh Patel, MD, FACS  Associate Clinical Professor of Orthopedic Surgery, Harvard Medical School; Chief of Arthroscopic Surgery, Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital

Dinesh Patel, MD, FACS is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Chief Editor

Mary Ann E Keenan, MD  Professor, Vice Chair for Graduate Medical Education, Department of Orthopedic Surgery, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine; Chief of Neuro-Orthopedics Program, Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania

Mary Ann E Keenan, MD is a member of the following medical societies: Alpha Omega Alpha, American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, American Orthopaedic Association, American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society, American Society for Surgery of the Hand, and Orthopaedic Rehabilitation Association

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

References

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The transverse ligament holds the dens against the anterior arch of the atlas.
A midsagittal section of the upper cervical spine. Note the landmarks for measuring the anterior atlantodens interval and the posterior atlantodens interval.
The 4 types of atlantoaxial rotatory subluxation.
 
 
 
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