CC BY 4.0 · VCOT Open 2020; 03(02): e164-e169
DOI: 10.1055/s-0040-1721031
Case Report

Computed Tomographic Diagnosis of Traumatic Atlanto-occipital Rotatory Luxation and Successful Closed Reduction in a Dog

1   Department of Radiology, Animal Referral Centre, Auckland, New Zealand
,
Karl Mathis
2   Department of Surgery, Animal Referral Centre, Auckland, New Zealand
,
Sarah Hill
3   Department of Internal Medicine, Animal Referral Centre, Auckland, New Zealand
,
Ryan Cattin
3   Department of Internal Medicine, Animal Referral Centre, Auckland, New Zealand
,
Angela Hartman
1   Department of Radiology, Animal Referral Centre, Auckland, New Zealand
› Author Affiliations

Abstract

A 12-year-old, female spayed crossbred dog was presented for traumatic injuries sustained after being hit by a car. The dog was non-ambulatory with a right-sided head tilt on presentation, neurological deficits and signs of external trauma centred on the head. A trauma computed tomography was performed which revealed an atlanto-occipital luxation with narrowing of the vertebral canal. This was treated successfully via closed reduction and confirmed with a repeat computed tomography scan. The dog recovered well following the atlanto-occipital luxation reduction, and was ambulatory the day after the reduction, and neurological signs resolved within 2 days.

Authors' Contributions

G.L. was responsible for drafting, editing and compiling the manuscript, and was involved with the case management and assisted with closed reduction. K.M. was responsible for editing the manuscript, literature review and engineering the set-up for and performing the closed reduction. S.H. was responsible for editing the manuscript as well as case management and literature review. R.C. was involved with editing the manuscript and literature review. A.H. was involved with the diagnosis and interpretation of the computed tomography as well as editing the manuscript and literature review.




Publication History

Received: 31 July 2020

Accepted: 06 October 2020

Article published online:
17 November 2020

© 2020. The Author(s). This is an open access article published by Thieme under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, permitting unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction so long as the original work is properly cited. (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).

Georg Thieme Verlag KG
Rüdigerstraße 14, 70469 Stuttgart, Germany

 
  • References

  • 1 Hall GC, Kinsman MJ, Nazar RG. et al. Atlanto-occipital dislocation. World J Orthop 2015; 6 (02) 236-243
  • 2 Greenwood KM, Oliver Jr JE. Traumatic atlanto-occipital dislocation in two dogs. J Am Vet Med Assoc 1978; 173 (10) 1324-1327
  • 3 Crane SW. Surgical management of traumatic atlanto-occipital instability in a dog. Vet Surg 1978; 7 (02) 39-42
  • 4 Lappin MR, Dow S. Traumatic atlanto-occipital luxation in a cat. Vet Surg 1983; 12 (01) 30-32
  • 5 Steffen F, Flueckiger M, Montavon PM. Traumatic atlanto-occipital luxation in a dog: associated hypoglossal nerve deficits and use of 3-dimensional computed tomography. Vet Surg 2003; 32 (05) 411-415
  • 6 Baitchman EJ, Aiken SW, Calle PP. Successful treatment of atlantooccipital luxation in an alpaca (Lama pacos). J Zoo Wildl Med 2006; 37 (01) 71-74
  • 7 Dolera M, Malfassi L, Bianchi C. et al. Zygomatic arch-atlas wing stabilization in 5 dogs with atlanto-occipital dislocation. J Vet Med Sci 2016; 78 (06) 963-970
  • 8 Labler L, Eid K, Platz A, Trentz O, Kossmann T. Atlanto-occipital dislocation: four case reports of survival in adults and review of the literature. Eur Spine J 2004; 13 (02) 172-180
  • 9 Traynelis VC, Marano GD, Dunker RO, Kaufman HH. Traumatic atlanto-occipital dislocation. Case report. J Neurosurg 1986; 65 (06) 863-870
  • 10 Robles LA, Mundis GM, Cuevas-Solórzano A. Atlanto-occipital rotatory dislocation: a case report and systematic review. World Neurosurg 2018; 110: 106-114
  • 11 Dickman CA, Papadopoulos SM, Sonntag VK, Spetzler RF, Rekate HL, Drabier J. Traumatic occipitoatlantal dislocations. J Spinal Disord 1993; 6 (04) 300-313
  • 12 Watson AG, Evans HE, de Lahunta A. Gross morphology of the composite occipito-atlas-axis joint cavity in the dog. Anat Histol Embryol 1986; 15 (02) 139-146