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Congenital C1 arch deficiency: Grand Round presentation
Mahmoud Mohamed Elmalky1, Sherief Elsayed, George Arealis
1Centre for Spinal Studies and Surgery, Queen's Medical Centre, Nottingham University Hospital, Derby Road, NG7 2UH, Nottingham, UK. mah_elmalky@yahoo.com
Insights
C1 arch deficiency, a rare congenital anomaly, can cause neck pain in children. Management remains controversial, with no clear surgical guidelines, and activity restrictions may not always be necessary.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Orthopedics
- Congenital Anomalies
- Spinal Surgery
Background:
- C1 arch deficiency is an uncommon congenital anomaly presenting diagnostic and management challenges.
- It is a crucial consideration in the differential diagnosis of pediatric neck pain.
Observation:
- A 12-year-old girl experienced cervical spine clicking, diagnosed via CT and MRI as C1 posterior arch deficiency.
- She was treated with a cervical brace for a year, with significant resolution of clicking but residual neck pain.
Findings:
- Current management strategies for C1 arch deficiency lack definitive guidelines.
- Indications for surgical intervention in the absence of neurological deficits are unclear.
Implications:
- The necessity of restricting children with C1 arch deficiency from physical activities requires further evaluation.
- Further research is needed to establish evidence-based management protocols for this condition.
Introduction:
We present an uncommon and yet interesting congenital anomaly and discuss the difficulties with diagnosis and controversies in management. C1 arch deficiency is an important consideration in the differential diagnosis of neck pain in children.
Material And Methods:
A 12-year-old girl presented initially with a loud clicking emanating from the cervical spine during nappy changes in early childhood. Subsequent investigation by way of CT and MRI revealed her to have a deficient posterior arch of the C1 vertebra, and due to persistent and painful clicking she was placed into a cervical brace, which was worn for approximately 1 year. At age 12, her clicking had all but completely resolved but she continued to complain of minor neck pain. She is advised to avoid contact sports and her parents are instructed to observe any new worrying symptoms.
Conclusion:
No definitive guidelines exist for the management of this congenital anomaly. Indications for surgical intervention prior to any neurological disturbance are unclear, and restricting a child from partaking in healthy activity may not be necessary. We discuss the anomaly and identified management strategies as reported in the literature so far.
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