Post-Diving Cervical Neuralgia Revealing a Stable Type II Odontoid Fracture

Authors

Soukaina BAHHA, Asmae GUENNOUNI, Salma El AOUADI, Sarah LOUBARIS, Amal LAHFIDI, Mohammed JIDDANE

Journal Information

Journal: Medpeer Publisher

ISSN: 3066-2737

Volume: 3

Issue: 2

Date of Publication: 2026/02/27

DOI: 10.70780/medpeer.000QGRI

Abstract

Cervical neuralgia is a rare but significant condition that can arise following diving, often resulting from trauma to the cervical spine. We present the case of a patient who developed post-diving cervical neuralgia, which was later found to be associated with a Type II odontoid fracture. Typically, Type II odontoid fractures are considered unstable and require surgical intervention due to the risk of neurological impairment. However, in our patient, the fracture remained stable throughout the clinical course, despite the usual association with instability. This case highlights the exceptional stability of a Type II odontoid fracture in the context of cervical neuralgia following diving, suggesting that some fractures may exhibit atypical behavior and do not always follow the expected patterns of instability.

Keywords

Cervical neuralgia; odontoid fracture; diving injury; cervical spine trauma; CT scan; MRI;