Therapeutic options and results following fixed atlantoaxial rotatory dislocations.

Atlantoaxial rotatory dislocation (AARD) represents a rare pathological condition of the upper cervical spine that is frequently misdiagnosed, leading to a delay in therapy. In a long-term assessment of clinical and radiological results, three different therapeutic options with regard to the length of the dislocation-therapy interval (DTI) were evaluated. Twenty-six patients were treated for AARD from December 1988 until April 2000.