Rare case of unilateral hypertrophy of left lamina and spinous process of C6 with associated C2-C3 block vertebra: A case report

We report a rare case of congenital cervical anomaly in a 32 yr old female, who was referred in our department for the complaints of chronic cervical and shoulder pain with a hard cervical mass. Antero-posterior and lateral radiographs of the cervical spine were performed, which show a rib like bony projection, in the left side of neck and on the lateral radiograph, it was corresponding to a hypertrophied C6 spinous process. CT study was done for better delineation of this congenital anomaly, which showed hypertrophied left lamina of C6 and spinous process, crossing midline and towards the left side, extending inferiorly up to the level of thoracic inlet. There was associated fusion of C3 and C4 vertebrae, resulting in block vertebra (Klippel- Feil syndrome Type 1) and unfused spinous process of C6 vertebra.This case report is the first case, where hypertrophied lamina and spinous process of C6 with unfused spinous processes and block vertebra, congenital cervical anomalies were seen in the same patient. Keywords : Spine, Congenital abnormality, Computed tomography, Vertebral schisis.