Spontaneous Fracture of the Odontoid Process in Rheumatoid Arthritis

Six cases of spontaneous-fraclwe of the odontoid praeass In rheumatold arthritis are presented. Fifty-one patient:; with atlantoaxial sublimation m rheumatoid arthritis underwent surgery between 1931 and 1990. This included six patients (In 10%) who had subluxation accompanied by Facture of the odontoid without apparent trauma, The mean patient age was 58 years and all had a lonq history Of rheumatoid Srthritrs. No trauma was considered to be the cause of the fracture.This Is a fracturs caused by erosion and osteoporosis of the odontoid process due to rheumatold synovitis, aging and storoid therapy, in addition, another cause is B dynamic load produced from the instability accompanying atlantoaxial subluxation working on the odontoid in cervical wtGhSiOn. It s important remgmbur that the odontoid process is susceptible to spontaneous frariure.