ArticleChild's nervous system : ChNS : official journal of the International Society for Pediatric Neurosurgery2021
Traumatic atlanto-occipital dislocation in children: is external immobilization an option?
Article in Child's nervous system : ChNS : official journal of the International Society for Pediatric Neurosurgery, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 9 papers, 3 of them syntheses that pooled it.
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Who cites it
9 citing papers in PubMed, 3 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 16 citations in OpenAlex.
- Non-operative management of traumatic occipitocervical distraction injuries in children: a systematic review.Child's nervous system : ChNS : official journal of the International Society for Pediatric Neurosurgery · 2026Pooled it
- [Pediatric Upper Cervical Spine Injuries: a Systematic Review].Acta chirurgiae orthopaedicae et traumatologiae Cechoslovaca · 2025Pooled it
- Use of halo fixation therapy for traumatic cranio-cervical instability in children: a systematic review.European journal of trauma and emergency surgery : official publication of the European Trauma Society · 2022Pooled it
- A comprehensive analysis of traumatic atlanto-occipital and atlanto-axial dislocations: A case series from a level one trauma center.Trauma case reports · 2025Article
- Pediatric Halo Use: Indications, Application, and Potential Complications.Journal of the Pediatric Orthopaedic Society of North America · 2024Review
- Cranio-cervical decompression associated with non-instrumented occipito-C2 fusion in children with mucopolysaccharidoses: Report of twenty-one cases.North American Spine Society journal · 2022Article
- Management of traumatic atlanto-occipital dislocation in a 10-year-old with noninvasive halo immobilization: A case report.Surgical neurology international · 2022Article
- Anatomical Study on the Safety of Anterior Cervical Craniovertebral Fusion with Clival Screw Placement in Children Aged 1-6 Years.International journal of general medicine · 2021Article
- Occipitocervical dissociation: A narrative review and case series with a novel management algorithm proposal.Journal of craniovertebral junction & spineReview
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Authors and funding
8 authors at 3 institutions in 2 countries.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
objectTraumatic atlanto-occipital dislocation (AOD) is a relatively uncommon traumatic cervical spine injury characterized by disruption and instability of the atlanto-occipital joint. At many centers, management of pediatric AOD includes occipitocervical arthrodesis, but whether external immobilization without surgery is a viable treatment option for some pediatric patients is unknown. To answer this question, we analyzed our outcomes of pediatric AOD at the Hospital for Sick Children.
methodsWe performed a retrospective chart review of all children with clinical and radiographic evidence of traumatic AOD. A total of 10 patients met criteria for traumatic AOD: 8 were treated with external immobilization alone and 2 were treated with occipitocervical arthrodesis.
resultsEight patients were treated exclusively with 3 months of halo immobilization. Two patients were treated with occipitocervical instrumentation and arthrodesis. No patient undergoing halo immobilization required subsequent operative fusion.
conclusionHalo immobilization is a safe, viable, and definitive treatment option for the selected children with AOD.
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