ATLANTOAXIAL INSTABILITY

Course overview

THE ATLANTOAXIAL SEGMENT CONSISTS OF THE ATLAS (C1) AND AXIS (C2) AND FORMS A COMPLEX TRANSITIONAL STRUCTURE BRIDGING THE OCCIPUT AND CERVICAL SPINE. THE FUNCTIONAL RESULT OF THE JOINT IS TWO-FOLD: (1) PROVIDING SUPPORT FOR THE OCCIPUT AND (2) PROVIDING THE GREATEST RANGE OF MOTION AND FLEXIBILITY POSSIBLE WHILE MAINTAINING STABILITY. THE INSTABILITY IN THIS JOINT IS USUALLY CONGENITAL, BUT IN ADULTS, IT MAY BE DUE TO AN ACUTE TRAUMATIC EVENT OR DEGENERATIVE DISEASE. THIS ACTIVITY DESCRIBES THE EVALUATION, DIAGNOSIS, AND MANAGEMENT OF ATLANTOAXIAL INSTABILITY AND HIGHLIGHTS THE ROLE OF TEAM-BASED INTERPROFESSIONAL CARE FOR AFFECTED PATIENTS. THE ALGORITHM TO DICHOTOMIZE THE PATTERNS OF ATLANTOAXIAL INSTABILITY (AAI) AND THE ADVOCATED MANAGEMENT MODALITIES ARE DISCUSSED.