Successful Conservative Treatment of Cervical Spondylolysis in a 2-year-old Patient

Cervical spondylosis is a rare condition in pediatric patients with currently scarce cases in the literature. The C2 location is particularly uncommon with only a small number of case reports describing this condition. Given its limited evidence in the literature, its etiology and standard of care treatment persist obscure.

Here, we present the case of a 2-year-old with bilateral atraumatic C2 spondylolysis. The patient presented with initial negative radiographs and was later diagnosed with advanced imaging, emphasizing the importance of maintaining a high degree of suspicion in this setting. The patient underwent successful conservative treatment confirmed clinically and radiologically.

Cervical spondylolysis is uncommon in the pediatric population, the C2 location being particularly rare. Clinical presentation can be diverse ranging from asymptomatic to spine instability with associated neurological deficits. The diagnosis of this condition is challenging and there are no current strong recommendations regarding the treatment gold standard.