Repair of Atlantoaxial Dislocation Improves Outcomes in RA...

Repair of atlantoaxial dislocation improves prognosis in rheumatoid arthritis patients with myelopathy, according to the results of a matched controlled comparative study published in the July 15 issue of Spine.

'Occipitocervical fusion associated with C1 laminectomy for patients with rheumatoid arthritis is useful for decreasing nuchal pain, reducing myelopathy, and improving prognosis,' write Shunji Matsunaga, MD, PhD, from Kagoshima University in Kagoshima City, Japan, and colleagues.

Of 40 patients with rheumatoid arthritis and myelopathy caused by irreducible atlantoaxial dislocation with or without upward migration of the odontoid process, 19 patients received C1 laminectomy and occipitocervical fusion using a rectangular rod, and 21 matched patients received conservative treatment at another hospital. Read more >>

There are a couple of terms that I don't understand in the article. One is the atlantodental interval. The other is the Redlund-Johnell values. Any ideas about these?