This is a case report of cervical fracture associated with ankylosing spondylitis.
The patient was a 52-year-old man with a 20-year-history of ankylosing spondylitis who presented with a cervical fracture after falling down on the ground. Plain X-ray film showed the fracture to be at the C6/7 disk level although he suffered from only mild myelopathy.
After Glisson traction, the angular deformity at at the fracture site was repositioned and anterior spinal fusion was performed.
After the operation, the patient's neurological symptoms resolved. Post-operatively he started sitting up in bed in propped up position using a SOMI brace.
It was believed that this case escaped complete spinal cord injury and maintained an intact spinal canal.
