Cervical spinal decompression and fusion in the setting of Wolcott-Rallison Syndrome: a rare pediatric indication and its surgical considerations

Abstract

Wolcott-Rallison Syndrome is an extremely rare syndrome characterized by infantile non-autoimmune diabetes, extensive skeletal dysplasia, and multi-organ failure requiring transplant. Prognosis is very poor, and as such, surgical intervention for symptomatic cervical spine compromise in pediatric patients has not been widely reported in part due to their high fragility. We report a complex case of Wolcott-Rallison Syndrome that presented with cervical myelopathy due to cervicomedullary compression and the exceptional surgical considerations required for successful intervention.

Keywords: Cervical spine; Decompression; Fusion; Pediatric; WRS; Wolcott-Rallison.