Retro-odontoid pseudotumor with uncommon presentation of cervical spine injury

Background: We report the first case of retro-odontoid pseudotumor with an isolated symptom of C2-C3 dysesthesia triggered by a traumatic event.

Case presentation: An 86-year-old man, who was a wood craftsman for more than 50 years, presented to the emergency room with sudden-onset severe posterior head and neck dysesthesia after accidentally falling backward. No neurological impairment of the extremities was noted. Computed tomography revealed a C2-C7 osteophyte formation, mainly in front of the vertebral bodies. Moreover, magnetic resonance imaging showed cervical spinal cord compression by a soft tissue mass posterior to the odontoid process of the axis. Therefore, we diagnosed a cervical spine injury with an isolated symptom of C2-C3 dysesthesia due to a retro-odontoid pseudotumor. He did not undergo surgical intervention and was transferred to a rehabilitation hospital on day 11 for pain control.

Conclusion: Our report could be useful to emergency physicians dealing with similar cases of cervical symptoms following trauma.