A Painful Stiff Neck following an Ear, Nose, and Throat Surgical Procedure: Case Report

作者：Pavlidis Elena^*; Copioli Cristiana; Spagnoli Carlotta; Mazzotta Silvia; Ormitti Francesca; Crisi Girolamo; Pisani Francesco

来源：Neuropediatrics, 2015, 46(1): 69-71.

DOI：10.1055/s-0034-1393709

• stiff neck
• torticollis
• atlantoaxial subluxation
• Grisel syndrome

Grisel syndrome is a rare, nontraumatic atlantoaxial subluxation, typical of developmental ages and characterized by head flexion/rotation and painful fixation. Neurological symptoms may occur. It is secondary to head/neck infections and ear, nose, and throat surgery (adenoidectomy, tonsillectomy, and mastoidectomy). Here, we report the case of a child who presented a painful stiff neck following an adenotonsillectomy, with imaging evidencing an atlantoaxial subluxation. The child showed improvement in his condition following a conservative treatment with antibiotics, anti-inflammatory, and analgesic therapy and cervical collar. We believe it is of great significance for clinicians taking into account this peculiar condition in the differential diagnosis of a stiff neck in pediatric patients, thus avoiding misdiagnosis and delays. Indeed, its diagnosis is mainly based on a focused anamnesis associated with the detection of the typical neuroradiological findings.

• 出版日期2015-2