[Acute decompensation of os odontoideum in the elderly. Case report]

Os odontoideum is a lesion of the second cervical vertebra, usually revealed by a neurological decompensation due to a neck injury in young adults. We report the exceptional case of an os odontoideum decompensation in a 81-year-old patient, who became quadriplegic after a fall. Subsequent surgical treatment resulted in complete neurological recovery. Os odontoideum can decompensate at all ages, and the authors recommend preventive surgical treatment in cases of instability, including in the elderly.