Case of solitary aneurysmal bone cyst of the axis (C2) presenting with pathological odontoid fracture.

Abstract

Background

Aneurysmal bone cysts (ABCs) rarely involve the cervical spine, and isolated lesions of the axis (C2) in adults are exceptionally uncommon. As C2 is critical in maintaining craniocervical stability, destructive lesions may lead to pathological fractures.Case description

A 48-year-old female presented with mechanical cervical pain due to a pathological type II odontoid fracture attributed to a solitary C2 ABC. To address instability, the patient underwent a posterior C1- C3 fusion. Here, we also reviewed six similar isolated C2 ABCs in adults, with treatments ranging from medical therapy to vertebroplasty, intralesional therapy, and resection with fusion.Conclusion

ABCs involving the C2 vertebral body present significant biomechanical challenges. In the presence of fracture-related instability, posterior fixation is both safe and effective.

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BibTeX RIS

BibTeX

@article{domenico2026case,
  title = {{Case of solitary aneurysmal bone cyst of the axis (C2) presenting with pathological odontoid fracture.}},
  author = {Pierfrancesco De Domenico and Filippo Gagliardi and Silvia Snider and Pietro Mortini},
  journal = {Surgical neurology international},
  year = {2026},
  month = oct,
  doi = {10.25259/sni_273_2026},
  url = {https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42974610},
  note = {CC BY-NC-SA},
}

RIS

TY  - JOUR
TI  - Case of solitary aneurysmal bone cyst of the axis (C2) presenting with pathological odontoid fracture.
AU  - Pierfrancesco De Domenico
AU  - Filippo Gagliardi
AU  - Silvia Snider
AU  - Pietro Mortini
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/10/30
JO  - Surgical neurology international
DO  - 10.25259/sni_273_2026
UR  - https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42974610
AB  - Background  Aneurysmal bone cysts (ABCs) rarely involve the cervical spine, and isolated lesions of the axis (C2) in adults are exceptionally uncommon. As C2 is critical in maintaining craniocervical stability, destructive lesions may lead to pathological fractures.Case description  A 48-year-old female presented with mechanical cervical pain due to a pathological type II odontoid fracture attributed to a solitary C2 ABC. To address instability, the patient underwent a posterior C1- C3 fusion. Here, we also reviewed six similar isolated C2 ABCs in adults, with treatments ranging from medical therapy to vertebroplasty, intralesional therapy, and resection with fusion.Conclusion  ABCs involving the C2 vertebral body present significant biomechanical challenges. In the presence of fracture-related instability, posterior fixation is both safe and effective.
SN  - 2229-5097
SN  - 2152-7806
ER  -

Abstract

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