Abstract
Introduction
Down syndrome is the most common chromosomal abnormality associated with intellectual impairments. Unexpected deaths are common with this disease. There are certain difficulties in clarifying the cause of death because the manifestations may be quite diverse and involve many organ systems. Atlantoaxial subluxation is a dangerous complication of Down syndrome, as it may lead to cervical cord-medullary compression.
Case presentation
Herein, we present a case of Down syndrome in a patient who completely recovered from cardiac arrest due to atlantoaxial subluxation. The neck was immobilized during post-cardiac arrest care, and the patient underwent surgery after 14 days. The patient could walk independently and was discharged 3 months later. At the last follow-up 5 years after surgery, the patient’s general condition was good.
Discussion
Physicians should be aware that atlantoaxial instability can cause cardiac arrest in patients with genetic syndromes.
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Data availability
All data supporting the findings of this study are available within the article.
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We would like to thank Editage (www.editage.jp) for English language editing.
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HI was responsible for data collection, data analysis, and writing of the manuscript. YH, HK, MI, and YK contributed to the study conception and provided feedback on the manuscript. HO supervised the project.
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Imamura, H., Hamano, Y., Kamijo, H. et al. Successful recovery from cardiac arrest due to atlantoaxial subluxation in Down syndrome: a case report. Spinal Cord Ser Cases 10, 37 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41394-024-00649-y
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41394-024-00649-y
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