Acute traumatic unilateral cervical C4–C5 facet dislocation in pediatric toddlers

This case report describes a rare instance of a 3-year-old girl who suffered a cervical spine injury after a motor vehicle collision, resulting in a unilateral C4–C5 facet dislocation without any neurological deficits. The patient was initially managed with cervical spine protection, and after thorough evaluation and discussion with her parents, a closed reduction maneuver with a minerva cast was performed under sedation. The child recovered well, showing no complications after the reduction, and after 8 weeks of immobilization, she began a neck muscle stretching rehabilitation program, eventually regaining full cervical motion and function.

• 1
  The study highlights the successful management of a rare case of unilateral cervical facet dislocation in a toddler without neurological deficit using closed reduction and a minerva cast.
• 2
  The patient achieved full recovery with normal cervical spine alignment and function at one-year follow-up, demonstrating the potential effectiveness of non-surgical treatment in such cases.
• 3
  The case emphasizes the importance of considering closed reduction and minerva cast application as an optional treatment for unilateral cervical facet dislocation in toddlers, particularly when manual reduction is successful.