Neurophysiological monitoring of displaced odontoid fracture reduction in a 3-year-old male

Abstract

Introduction Odontoid fractures in young children are rare. Most authors advocate for closed reduction and external stabilization as first line treatment. Unlike adults, young children are much less amenable to an awake reduction for real-time assessment of neurological function. We used spinal cord monitoring, as used in spine surgery, to assess the function of the spinal cord during the closed reduction in our 31-month-old patient. Case presentation A 31-month-old male presented with a displaced odontoid fracture and ASIA C spinal cord injury. Given his age, closed reduction and halo application were completed under general anesthesia guided by neuromonitoring. A less-than-ideal reduction initially was accepted due to a decline in motor-evoked potentials. Subsequently, there was no change in neurological status. The reduction was repeated under anesthesia, with monitoring, a number of times until good correction was achieved. Ultimately, a surgical fusion was required due to ligamentous instability. The child achieved a very good neurological outcome and a stable spine. Discussion Neuromonitoring is an important adjunct to closed reductions when complete and reliable neurological assessment is not possible.