A 13-year-old girl had life-changing surgery to straighten her neck after suffering from a rare muscle disease that left her head bowed at a 90-degree angle. Afsheen Gul is suspected to have a problem that has resulted in her developing a significantly twisted neck, a condition known as Atlanto-Axial Rotatory Dislocation (AARD) in medical terms.
The 13-year-old patient was suffering from cerebral palsy after she injured her neck while playing. Afsheen’s inability to keep her neck straight made him struggle with eating, using the washroom and walking. She couldn’t go to school due to a rare condition. However, the teenage girl underwent a lifechanging surgery at Apollo Hospital, New Delhi with the help of the funds raised on a GoFundMe page. The surgery was successful, and she is currently recovering in intensive care.
What Is Atlanto-Axial Rotatory Dislocation?
According to a study published in The American Academy Of Orthopaedic Surgeons defines Atlantoaxial rotatory subluxation is “a rare condition in which patients present with the acute onset of torticollis. Atlantoaxial rotatory subluxation represents a spectrum of disease from muscle spasm to a fixed mechanical block to the reduction of the atlantoaxial complex. If left untreated, some cases may resolve spontaneously; however, other cases may result in the development of secondary changes in the bony anatomy of the atlantoaxial joint, leading to persistent deformity.”
According to the study, the illness is mostly diagnosed clinically, however, imaging modalities like radiography, dynamic CT scans, three-dimensional CT reconstructions, and MRI can help. Infection or another inflammatory condition should always be considered as an underlying, triggering cause.
Observation, the use of a cervical collar and analgesics, halter or skeletal traction, and posterior C1-C2 fusion are all options for treatment. The period between the development of symptoms and the recognition and beginning of treatment is the most critical determinant in the efficacy of the treatment.
