Traumatismes du rachis chez l’enfant

Fracture of the odontoid process in children: a case report

The authors report a case of apophysial fracture of the odontoid process in association with paresis of the upper extremities in a 5-year-old child. The fracture was treated by gradual guided self-reduction without anaesthesia, followed by a Minerva jacket cast immobilisation. Reduction was anatomical, and the neurological problems regressed within 48 hours.

[Spasmodic torticollis caused by metoclopramide: a rare etiology of C1-C2 rotatory pseudoluxation in children]

Torticollis in children must always instigate a search for trauma. Many other etiologies can be found. The authors report a case of postmedicinal atlantoaxial rotatory pseudoluxation (AARP) occurring in a child. This child had fallen down in the morning with head trauma followed by headache. Clinically, a stiff neck with an irreducible right rotation of his neck, and an osteotendinous hyperreflexia were noted. There was a C1-C2 rotatory dislocation with no traumatic lesion on the cervical CT scan. After a few hours, the torticollis spontaneously reduced and then reappeared on the left side. This clinical fluctuation and the absorption of metoclopramide (Primpéran) started in the morning for acute gastroenteritis provided the diagnosis of AARP. This entity was confirmed by the good clinical and radiological follow-up and was caused by the substantial ligament laxity of the craniovertebral junction encountered in children. The analysis of medical imaging and the systematic search for a medicinal cause helped make the right diagnosis.

Apport de l’imagerie par résonance magnétique dans les traumatismes médullaires

PURPOSE

To describe MR features of spinal trauma and assess the value of MR imaging in the prognosis.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Retrospective confrontation between initial and follow up MRI findings and clinical features in 7 young patients with spinal cord injury.

RESULTS

Five lesions were due to motor vehicle accidents and 2 lesions were secondary to falls. Five patients had multiple associated injuries, 1 patient had associated spinal vertebrae injury, the last had Spinal Cord injury Without Radiological Abnormalities (SCIWRA). A motor deficit was noted in 5 cases of paraplegia, a case of monoplegia and a case of tetraparesia. The initial MRI showed in 3 cases intramedullary hemorrhage, cord edema in 2 cases and spinal cord compression and contusion in 1 case. Initial MRI was not done in the remaining case. No cord transection was noted. Outcomes were marked by lack of significant neurological recovery with complications due to bed confinement in 5 cases, and complete neurolgical recovery in two cases. In follow up, MR findings included post traumatic cystic lesion (2 cases), "ad integrum" restitution (1 case), segmental atrophy with gliosis (2 cases) and myelomalacia in the 2 other cases.

CONCLUSION

MR may offer new possibilities in establishing the prognosis for neurological recovery. Our study demonstrated a good correlation between imaging findings, clinical features and outcomes. A hemorrhagic contusion in the acute stage indicated a poor prognosis while a focal hyperintense area on T2-weighted images may resolve.