Cervical spondyloptosis: a case report.

A 5-year-old male child who had undergone orthopedic surgery for foot deformities three years prior presented to the outpatient clinic with a complaint of flexion restriction in both hands. The radiological evaluation of the patient showed C3-4 spondyloptosis. Halo traction was placed and posterior and anterior spinal fusions were performed respectively to achieve realignment of the spine. The postoperative period was uneventful and the patient has been followed for 24 months. The etiology, diagnostic features and treatment options of childhood cervical spondyloptosis have been briefly reviewed and the pertinent literature discussed.

Complications of subduroperitoneal shunting.

OBJECTS: Subduroperitoneal (SP) shunts have been widely used in the management of pediatric subdural fluid collections. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the complications of SP shunting in 73 boys and 24 girls, who ranged in age from 1 to 180 months (median 7 months). Subdural fluid collection was bilateral in 75 and unilateral in 22 patients. The most common complication was shunt obstruction (13 patients). Shunt migration was seen in 8 patients. Migration occurred only with unishunts without a reservoir and with peritoneal catheters. However, the shunts with a reservoir or flushing valve led to skin necrosis in 4 patients (P=0.003). Unilateral drainage though bilateral collections were present, infection, bowel perforation, and ileus occurred in 5, 4, 1 and 1 patients respectively. CONCLUSIONS: These SP shunt complications, some of which are avoidable, should be kept in mind.