Osteomyelitis of the Odontoid Process in Children: Two Cases and Review of the Literature.

Asael Lubotzky, Ruth Cytter-Kuint, Eliyahu Raccah, Orli Megged

The Pediatric infectious disease journal 2017 Aug

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To report clinical, laboratory and radiologic manifestations in 2 infants with osteomyelitis of the odontoid process (dens). Vertebral osteomyelitis is uncommon, and osteomyelitis of the dens has rarely been reported in the pediatric population. The medical records of 2 infants diagnosed with dens osteomyelitis were reviewed. Both infants had fever, which resolved spontaneously before admission. Both were nontoxic appearing with persistent neck stiffness and torticollis. White blood count and C-reactive protein were only mildly elevated in both cases. Blood cultures were sterile. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed the diagnosis. They both fully recovered. We report 2 cases of dens osteomyelitis. These cases emphasize the need to consider C1-C2 osteomyelitis in the differential diagnosis of neck stiffness and torticollis.

Citation

Asael Lubotzky, Ruth Cytter-Kuint, Eliyahu Raccah, Orli Megged. Osteomyelitis of the Odontoid Process in Children: Two Cases and Review of the Literature. The Pediatric infectious disease journal. 2017 Aug;36(8):802-805