Atlantal fracture with transverse ligament disruption in a child. Case report.

Even though fractures in children with immature spines occur predominantly in the upper cervical spine, isolated C-1 fractures are relatively rare. The fractures in almost all cases reported to date were considered stable due to the presence of the intact transverse ligament. The authors report the case of a young child who sustained a Jefferson fracture and in whom MR imaging revealed disruption of the transverse ligament. Although surgical treatment has been suggested as the treatment of choice for children with unstable atlantoaxial injuries, external immobilization alone allowed a full recovery in the patient with no evidence of instability at follow-up.