Delayed diagnosis of isolated alar ligament rupture: A case report

Isolated unilateral alar ligamentous injury: illustrative cases

BACKGROUND

Isolated unilateral alar ligament injury (IUALI) is a rare and likely underreported occurrence after upper cervical trauma, with only 16 cases documented in the literature to date. Patients generally present with neck pain, and definitive diagnosis is typically made by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Unfortunately, likely due in part to its rarity, there are no formal guidelines for the treatment of an IUALI. Furthermore, there is a limited understanding of the long-term consequences associated with its inadequate treatment.

OBSERVATIONS

Here, the authors report on three pediatric patients, each found to have an IUALI after significant trauma. All patients presented with neck tenderness, and two of the three had associated pain-limited range of neck motion. Imaging revealed either a laterally deviated odontoid process on cervical radiographs and/or MRI evidence of ligamentous strain or discontinuity. Each patient was placed in a hard cervical collar for 1 to 2 months with excellent resolution of symptoms. A comprehensive review of the literature showed that all patients with IUALI who had undergone external immobilization with either rigid cervical collar or halo fixation had favorable outcomes at follow-up.

LESSONS

For patients with IUALI, a moderate course of nonsurgical management with rigid external immobilization appears to be an adequate first-line treatment.

Diagnosis and suggested treatment against an isolated unilateral rupture of the alar ligament - Concerning one case

BACKGROUND

An isolated rupture of the alar ligament is a rare occurrence with only a few cases reported in the literature.

CASE REPORT

The objective was to report the case of a young man with a unilateral rupture of the alar ligament that we closely monitored, clinically and radiologically, in order to describe the evolution of the alar ligament lesions.

CONCLUSION

Radiological diagnosis using cervical MRI and duration of the conservative treatment remain debated and we proposed a close radiological follow-up in order to best understand the nature of these ligament lesions and their evolution following specific treatment.