RT Journal
A1 Caird, Michelle S.
A1 Hensinger, Robert N.
A1 Vander Have, Kelly L.
A1 Gelbke, Martin K.
A1 Farley, Frances A.
T1 Isolated Alar Ligament Disruption in Children and Adolescents as a Cause of Persistent Torticollis and Neck Pain After InjuryA Report of Three Cases
JF The Journal of Bone & Joint Surgery
JO The Journal of Bone & Joint Surgery
YR 2009
FD November 1
VO 91
IS 11
SP 2713
OP 2718
DO 10.2106/JBJS.H.01405
UL http://dx.doi.org/10.2106/JBJS.H.01405
AB 

      The alar ligaments are small paired spinal ligaments that attach from the occiput to the proximal portion of the odontoid process of the second cervical vertebra (C2). Injury to the upper cervical spine in children is infrequent, and isolated injury of the alar ligaments is even more uncommon, with only a report of two cases, in German, appearing in the literature1. Here we describe isolated alar ligament disruptions in three children. This injury caused persistent torticollis and neck pain in which neither fracture nor anterior or posterior listhesis was detected on radiographic studies. The injury did not lead to instability in the upper cervical spine in any of the patients.