Pediatric odontoid fracture causing Brown-Sequard syndrome: a case report

Area of Science:

• Orthopedic Surgery
• Pediatric Neurosurgery
• Spinal Trauma

Background:

• Odontoid fractures are uncommon spinal injuries.
• Brown-Sequard syndrome (BSS) is a rare neurological deficit resulting from spinal cord hemisection.
• The co-occurrence of odontoid fractures and BSS is exceptionally rare, with limited case reports.

Observation:

• This report details the first known case of a pediatric patient experiencing Brown-Sequard syndrome secondary to an odontoid fracture.
• The pediatric patient sustained the injury due to high-energy trauma.
• The patient presented with neurological deficits consistent with BSS.

Findings:

• Surgical intervention, specifically direct anterior screw fixation, was performed on the comminuted and displaced odontoid fracture.
• The surgical treatment resulted in a satisfactory recovery of neurological function.
• This case highlights the potential for odontoid fractures to cause BSS in pediatric high-energy trauma.

Implications:

• Direct anterior screw fixation may be a viable and effective treatment for pediatric odontoid fractures with associated neurological deficits.
• This case expands the understanding of spinal trauma complications in pediatric patients.
• Further research into high-energy spinal trauma in children is warranted to better understand and manage such injuries.