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Review
. 2022 Oct;12(8):1862-1871.
doi: 10.1177/21925682211068520. Epub 2022 Feb 23.

Craniocervical Instability in Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome-A Systematic Review of Diagnostic and Surgical Treatment Criteria

Laura-Nanna Lohkamp  1   2 , Nandan Marathe  1   2 , Michael G Fehlings  1   2
Affiliations
Review

Craniocervical Instability in Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome-A Systematic Review of Diagnostic and Surgical Treatment Criteria

Laura-Nanna Lohkamp et al. Global Spine J. 2022 Oct.

Abstract

Study design: Systematic review.

Objective: Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS) comprises a spectrum of connective tissue disorders, which may be associated with cranio-cervical instability (CCI). There is a lack of consensus on diagnostic imaging parameters, indications, and outcomes of surgical treatment.

Methods: This systematic review analyses the literature on diagnostic methods and/or criteria for CCI, screening the databases Ovid Medline, Embase, Cochrane Library, and PubMed. Articles were included based on the PRISMA guidelines and assessed using the Newcastle-Ottawa Quality Assessment Scale (NOS) and according to their evidence level.

Results: Sixteen articles, including 78 surgical patients, met the inclusion criteria. The main diagnostic measures for CCI were dynamic x-rays and CT imaging. Ten different radiographic parameters were reported, of which 4 were the most frequently applied for surgical decision-making: the clivo-axial angle (CXA), the Harris measurement, the Grabb-Mapstone-Oakes measurement, and the angular displacement of C1 to C2. The evidence level ranged between III and V and the article quality between 4 and 8 out of 9 stars on the NOS Scale.

Conclusions: There is a lack of high quality, prospective evidence regarding the evaluation of suspected CCI in patients with EDS. Based on our systematic review, we recommend that the CXA, Harris measurement, Grabb-Mapstone-Oakes measurement, and the angular displacement of C1 to C2 be used to evaluate suspected CCI in EDS patients. Surgical fixation of suspected CCI should only be performed in cases with clear radiographic presence of instability and concordant symptoms/signs. Consensus-based guidelines and care pathways are required.

Keywords: Ehlers-Danlos syndrome; connective tissue disorders; cranio-cervical instability; spine; systematic review.

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Conflict of interest statement

The author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.
Flowchart illustrating the article selection process according to the PRISMA guidelines.
Figure 2.
Figure 2.
Sagittal MRI sequences containing the clivo-axial angle (CXA) (A), the Harris measurement (B), the Grabb–Mapstone–Oakes measurement (C). Axial MRI sequence illustrating the angular displacement of C1 to C2 (D).
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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