OBJECTIVE To report the efficacy of conservative treatment with cervical traction and immobilisation with a Halo vest, in two consecutive rheumatoid arthritis patients with progressive cervical myelopathy caused by subaxial subluxation. METHODS Description of neurological symptoms and signs and findings in plain radiography (PR) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the cervical spine befor...

this cross-sectional study is conducted to determine the prevalence of asymptomatic cervical spine subluxation in rheumatoid arthritis patients by plain radiographs and its relation to demographic and clinical characteristics, disease activity measures and medications. 100 rheumatoid arthritis patients (18 male and 82 female) were selected randomly, according to the american college of rheumato...

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the prevalence of cervical spine abnormalities among patients with rheumatoid arthritis and correlate the imaging findings with the clinical state. METHODS A cross-sectional study on 35 patients was carried out at the School of Medicine of the Federal University of Goiás (UFG) in 2004. The following were evaluated: age, use of medications and the clinical picture of pain...

STUDY DESIGN This study analyzed the natural course of cervical spine involvement in rheumatoid arthritis by serial radiographs. OBJECTIVES The purpose was to determine the pattern of progression of cervical spine lesions in rheumatoid arthritis and predictors for the extent of progression. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA Subluxation frequently occurs as a result of rheumatoid involvement of the...

The cervical spine radiographs of 100 patients with early rheumatoid disease were studied annually, on a prospective basis, for a mean follow-up period of 7 years 2 months. Atlantoaxial subluxation developed in 12 patients. The subluxation was more frequent in females, more severe in patients with progressive, seropositive, erosive rheumatoid disease, and more marked in patients treated with or...

BACKGROUND Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) can have very destructive effects, especially in the cervical spine. Bone quality is poor in these patients. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the feasibility of fusion and accuracy of fluoroscopy in cervical transpedicular fixation (CPF) in a standardized clinical protocol for RA patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS 96 pedicles of 15 patients operated b...

Twenty-six patients with rheumatoid disease affecting the cervical spine underwent surgical treatment for neck pain, neurological deficit, or both. Atlantoaxial subluxation (n=13), subaxial subluxation (n=7) and vertical migration of the odontoid (n=6) were treated. Arthrodesis with autologous bone was augmented with wire, Ransford loop, Hartshill rectangle or Magerl technique. Pain relief occu...

Fifteen patients with classic rheumatoid arthritis were investigated with plain films, pluridirectional tomography, and surface-coil T1-weighted MR imaging at 500/17 (TR/TE). We evaluated the atlantodental interval; basion-dental interval; density or intensity of the dens; dens erosion; cranial settling; anterior, posterior, lateral, or rotatory atlantoaxial subluxation; subaxial subluxation; l...

The synovitis of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) injures structures in the cervical spine, allowing atlantoaxial subluxation, atlantoaxial impaction, and subaxial subluxation. Spinal cord and vertebral artery injury can ensue. Subluxations are common, but neurologic abnormalities are less so. Patients with RA can die from subluxations but usually do not, although many become worse with time. Nonsurgi...