Conditions / Diagnoses
Adult Tethered Cord
Ankylosing Spondylitis
Basilar Invagination
Chiari Malformation
Degenerative Disc Disease (Cervical and Lumbar)
Disc Herniation
Facet Joint Syndrome / Facet Blocks
Fibromyalgia
Myelopathy
Osteomyelitis
Osteoporosis / Vertebral Fractures
Osteoarthritis of the Spine
Osteoarthritis of the Peripheral Joint
Platybasia
Radiculopathy (Cervical and Lumbar)
Rheumatoid Arthritis
Scoliosis
Spinal Compression Fractures
Spinal Cord Injury
Spinal Cord Tumors
Stenosis
Syringomyelia
Trochanteric Bursitis
Basilar Invagination
Basilar Invagination is a relatively rare condition in which the upper portion of the second
cervical vertebra migrates upward and posteriorly into the intracranial space. It can be
associated with a number of other conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis, Chiari malformation,
syringomyelia, C1-2 instability, or congenital abnormalities.
Symptoms: Patients generally become symptomatic when the displaced vertebral segment causes
sufficient pressure on the upper spinal cord or lower portion of the brainstem. The most
common symptoms include headache, dizziness, swallowing problems, numbness/tingling in the
extremities, and paralysis. Symptoms can become worse with flexion of the head, which even
further drapes the spinal cord over the upper portion of C2.
Diagnosis: This condition is diagnosed by various imaging modalities such as plain x-rays,
CT scans, and MRI.
Treatment: Patients with minimal symptoms can be treated with non-operative modalities
such as physical therapy, non-steriodal anti-inflammatory medication, or a cervical collar.
Surgical treatment is reserved for patients with symptoms refractory to non-operative management,
neurological deficit, or severe spinal cord compression. Surgery usually involves the removal
of bone that is causing the compression and stabilization using spinal instrumentation.