Atypical post-adenoidectomy Grisel's syndrome in Crouzon child with kyphotic skull base

Crouzon syndrome is characterized by abnormal craniofacial growth due to craniosynostosis. Skull base may also be involved in the pattern of malformations. Grisel's syndrome, an inflammation-mediated atlanto-axial instability occurs rarely in children after adenoidectomy. We report a 9-year-old female Crouzon patient, without vertebral anomalies, who developed severe torticollis few days after adenoid curettage. A deformity of the skull base alone might have induced an irregular arrangement of the craniocervical junction elements, thus increasing the susceptibility to cervical spine complications.