Cervical Myelopathy Accompanied With Hypoplasia of the Posterior Arch of the Atlas

Abstract

In the presence of congenital hypoplasia of the posterior arch of the atlas, the spinal cord is highly susceptible to injury because congenital spinal canal stenosis is present. Therefore, the presence of even a mild mechanical compressive lesion leads to myelopathy. Acquired mild atlantoaxial subluxation was associated with this hypoplasia, and the association was considered to be the mechanism underlying the occurrence of myelopathy in adulthood.