Pathologic Fracture in a Hemangiomatous ‎Odontoid; Case Report and Review of Literature

Abstract

 Background: Vertebral hemangiomas are among the ‎commonest benign primary spinal tumors. They usually ‎assumed to be incidental findings in neuroimaging studies; ‎however they can be symptomatic either because of their ‎aggressive behavior or fracture in the affected vertebrae. There ‎is a bulk data on natural course, diagnosis and treatment of ‎these benign lesions in the literature, but few key points ‎provided regarding their treatment when causing C2/odontoid ‎fractures. ‎

Case presentation: 27 year old male who suffered minor head ‎trauma after a motor vehicle accident, presented to the ‎emergency room with a severe neck pain. No obvious ‎functional neurological deficit was noted in the initial and ‎further clinical evaluation. In routine neuroimaging studies ‎there was a displaced type 2 odontoid fracture in the ‎hemangiomatous C2 vertebrea. Based on our literature review ‎external immobilization with a Halo-Vest and close fallow up ‎was sought as the most appropriate treatment strategy. To ‎date, good results have achieved in a very short term course of ‎follow up.‎

Conclusion: pathologic fracture in a hemangioamtous ‎odontoid is a rare clinical situation. Given the paucity of ‎published data, many questions relating to the nature and ‎management of this condition need clarification.‎ ‎