STUDY DESIGN: Case report. OBJECTIVE: To document our experience with conservative treatment of vertebral osteomyelitis of the atlas. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: Although several investigators have reported osteomyelitis in the upper cervical region, most of them included the odontoid process. This is a very rare case of successful conservative treatment of osteomyelitis of the atlas. METHODS: A 37-year-old man with pyogenic osteomyelitis caused by Streptococcus was treated conservatively. After needle biopsy, the patient underwent a 3-month antibiotic course administrated both intravenously and orally with a cervical orthosis for 4 months. RESULTS: The patient was pain free with no neurologic deficit at the 24-month follow-up, and CT scan showed remodeling of the lesion of the atlas. CONCLUSION: Conservative treatment of pyogenic osteomyelitis of the atlas with antibiotics and immobilization was shown to be sufficient in this case.
STUDY DESIGN: Case report. OBJECTIVE: To document our experience with conservative treatment of vertebral osteomyelitis of the atlas. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: Although several investigators have reported osteomyelitis in the upper cervical region, most of them included the odontoid process. This is a very rare case of successful conservative treatment of osteomyelitis of the atlas. METHODS: A 37-year-old man with pyogenic osteomyelitis caused by Streptococcus was treated conservatively. After needle biopsy, the patient underwent a 3-month antibiotic course administrated both intravenously and orally with a cervical orthosis for 4 months. RESULTS: The patient was pain free with no neurologic deficit at the 24-month follow-up, and CT scan showed remodeling of the lesion of the atlas. CONCLUSION: Conservative treatment of pyogenic osteomyelitis of the atlas with antibiotics and immobilization was shown to be sufficient in this case.
Authors: Terry C Burns; Stefan A Mindea; Arjun V Pendharkar; Nicolae B Lapustea; Ioana Irime; Jayakar V Nayak Journal: J Neurol Surg Rep Date: 2015-01-16