Possibilities of surgical treatment of upper cervical spine in patients with rheumatoid arthritis

Abstract

Purpose of the study. Patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) often suffer from instability of the upper cervical spine.

The most common instability is anterior atlanto-axial subluxation (AAS). Instability may lead to neurologic deficits from spinal cord compression and intractable pain, decreasing quality of life and its length.

Keywords

• Atlanto-axial instability
• Cranial settling
• Occipito-cervical fusion
• Rheumatoid arthritis
• Transarticular fixation of C1-C2