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Chuzhen Therapy as a Non-Invasive Traditional Chinese Therapy for Neck Pain
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[Acute neck pain in an elderly patient]

C Pfeiffer Zehnder1

  • 1Klinik für Rheumatologie und Rehabilitation, Stadtspital Triemli, Zürich. Claudia.Pfeiffer@triemli.stzh.ch

Praxis
|October 21, 2010
PubMed

Insights

Crowned dens syndrome, a rare manifestation of calcium pyrophosphate dehydrate deposition disease, can mimic spinal infections. Prompt diagnosis and treatment with glucocorticoids provided symptom relief.

Area of Science:

  • Rheumatology
  • Orthopedics
  • Radiology

Background:

  • Cervical spine pain can present with inflammatory markers, mimicking infection.
  • Accurate diagnosis is crucial for effective treatment of neck pain.

Observation:

  • An 85-year-old patient presented with acute neck pain and elevated inflammatory markers.
  • Initial MRI suggested infectious spondylitis with abscess, but symptoms persisted despite antibiotics.
  • CT revealed calcifications of the transverse ligament around the odontoid process.

Findings:

  • The patient was diagnosed with Crowned dens syndrome, a manifestation of calcium pyrophosphate dehydrate deposition disease.
  • Treatment with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) was insufficient.
  • Oral glucocorticoids led to complete symptom relief.

Implications:

  • Crowned dens syndrome should be considered in elderly patients with neck pain and inflammatory signs, even when imaging suggests infection.
  • This case highlights the importance of advanced imaging like CT to identify characteristic calcifications.
  • Glucocorticoids appear effective for managing symptomatic Crowned dens syndrome.

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