BACKGROUND: Dropped head syndrome (DHS) is caused by dysfunction of the cervical musculature. It is classified into two groups according to the cause: one is weakness of the neck extensors and the other is hypercontraction of the cervical flexors associated with Parkinson\'s disease and other disorders. Although some drugs have previously been reported as suspected causes of DHS, we are unaware of any reports in which oxaliplatin was suspected. In this report, we describe a case of DHS during adjuvant chemotherapy for gastric cancer, along with a review of the relevant literature.
METHODS: A 72-year-old man was diagnosed with gastric cancer, cT3N0M0 cStage IIB, and underwent laparoscopic total gastrectomy with D2 lymphnode dissection and Roux-en-Y reconstruction. The operative time was 311 min, intraoperative blood loss was 40 g, and he was discharged without any post-operative complications. The histopathological diagnosis was pT4aN2M0 pStage IIIA, and S-1 + oxaliplatin (SOX) therapy was started as adjuvant chemotherapy. On the 4th course of SOX, he complained of neck heaviness and a blood test revealed that his creatine kinase (CK) level was elevated to 2464 IU/L. After consultation with an orthopedic surgeon and a neurologist, DHS due to localized cervical extensor myositis was suspected. Therefore, the 6th course of SOX was postponed, and 30 mg of oral steroids were initiated. His symptoms improved, and his CK level decreased within 2 weeks. After resuming S-1 monotherapy and tapering off oral steroids, no recurrence of symptoms has been observed.
CONCLUSIONS: We experienced one case of DHS during adjuvant chemotherapy for gastric cancer. If DHS develops after starting oxaliplatin, involvement of the drug should be suspected, and discontinuation of chemotherapy and introduction of oral steroids should be considered.

Complications from medial branch blocks (MBBs) are rare when following proper procedural protocol. Dropped head syndrome (DHS) is characterized by profound muscle weakness in the cervical spine, resulting in a failure to maintain a level horizontal gaze and, in the worst cases, a chin-on-chest deformity. In this case report, we described DHS developing after cervical MBBs using short-acting anesthetic agents and subsequent management. A 69-year-old woman with a previous C6-C7 anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF) underwent bilateral posterior cervical MBBs targeting the C4-C5 and C5-C6 levels. Immediately following the injection, she reported a sudden inability to lift her head and was subsequently diagnosed with DHS. This condition continued with minimal improvement for over six months. After weighing the risks, the patient elected to avoid surgery, and she was provided a soft cervical collar and prescribed physical therapy. DHS is a debilitating condition more commonly associated with neurodegenerative conditions and inflammatory myopathy, which has received limited attention due to its rarity as a complication of cervical radiofrequency neurotomy. Surgery for this condition, when considered, typically involves long-segment posterior cervical instrumented fusion. Undergoing such a surgery is a complicated discussion that should consider patient clinical factors and preferences. The clinical impact of loss of strength in paraspinal musculature in this patient population is clearly deserving of further study.

BACKGROUND: Dropped head syndrome (DHS) is difficult to diagnose only by clinical examination. Although characteristic images on X-rays of DHS have been studied, changes in soft tissue of the disease have remained largely unknown. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is useful for evaluating soft tissue, and we therefore performed this study with the purpose of investigating the characteristic signal changes of DHS on MRI by a comparison with those of cervical spondylosis.
METHODS: The study involved 35 patients diagnosed with DHS within 6 months after the onset and 32 patients with cervical spondylosis as control. The signal changes in cervical extensor muscles, interspinous tissue, anterior longitudinal ligament (ALL) and Modic change on MRI were analyzed.
RESULTS: Signal changes of cervical extensor muscles were 51.4% in DHS and 6.3% in the control group, those of interspinous tissue were 85.7% and 18.8%, and those of ALL were 80.0% and 21.9%, respectively, suggesting that the frequency of signal changes of cervical extensor muscles, interspinous tissue and ALL was significantly higher in the DHS group (p < 0.05). The presence of Modic change of acute phase (Modic type I) was also significantly higher in the DHS group than in the control group (p < 0.001).
CONCLUSIONS: MRI findings of DHS within 6 months after the onset presented the characteristic signal changes in cervical extensor muscles, interspinous tissue, ALL and Modic change. Evaluation of MRI signal changes is useful for an objective evaluation of DHS.

Correction surgery for dropped head syndrome (DHS) is a challenging procedure that requires extensive realignment of the cervical spine and is associated with a high rate of complications. Postoperative occurrence of dysphagia related to the change of the cervical alignment is well known as a complication of occipito-cervical fusion, and it is thought to be caused by narrowing of the pharyngeal airway space (PAS) due to the change of the alignment. We experienced a case of severe dysphagia requiring tracheotomy and gastrostomy after correction surgery for DHS. Revision surgery which downgraded the cervical lordosis immediately solved this problem. We report this case and discuss the possible risk factors causing this complication.

OBJECTIVE: To prospectively assess the incidence of Dropped Head Syndrome (DHS) in childhood cancer survivors (CCS) and to develop and evaluate a diagnostic algorithm for DHS.
METHODS: A systematic literature search for DHS in combination with neck radiotherapy (RT) exposure was performed. Analyses and a combination of the most common examination methods were integrated into a diagnostic algorithm. Almost all CCSs visiting the local late effects clinic between May 2020 and April 2022 were included in the study. CCS exposed to neck RT with doses ≥ 19 Gy received standardized clinical and neurological assessment and, in case of abnormal results, an MRI scan to confirm muscle atrophy.
RESULTS: Two hundred and five CCS were included of whom 41 received RT to the neck with ≥ 19 Gy. In the entire cohort and in the subgroup receiving RT, 2.4% and 12% of CCS were affected by DHS, respectively. Results of clinical and neurological assessment correlated well with MRI results. Neck circumference and neck/thigh ratio were lower after neck RT. Over 50% of CCS experienced neck disability and pain.
CONCLUSIONS: A relevant proportion of CCS exposed to neck RT is affected by DHS. High concordance of MRI results with the neurological examination supports the clinical value of the diagnostic algorithm. Measurement of neck circumference might be an easy tool for assessment of neck muscle atrophy in survivors at risk.
CONCLUSIONS: Integration of a diagnostic algorithm for DHS in standard long-term follow-up care facilitates diagnosis as well as initiation of early treatment and obviates the need for invasive examinations.

BACKGROUND: Dropped head syndrome (DHS) is followed by severe cervical extension muscle weakness that results in chin-on chest deformity. However, maintaining a neutral cervical position can be temporarily possible, and the diagnosis of DHS might sometimes be difficult. The purpose of the present study is to examine a novel clinical test (DHS test) as the diagnostic utility for objective evaluation that focuses on cervical extension condition in the prone position.
METHODS: One hundred subjects were diagnosed with isolated neck extensor myopathy (INEM)-DHS at our hospital (17 men and 83 women, mean age 75.0 ± 8.5 years), and 62 subjects were enrolled as age-matched controls. The DHS test consisted of three examinations; the first was \"Ceiling gazing test\" in standing position, the second was horizontal gazing in \"Sphinx prone position test\", and the third was horizontal gazing in \"Hands and knees prone position test\". We investigated the sensitivity and specificity of the DHS test for DHS.
RESULTS: The patients showing positive in the INEM-DHS group were 63/100 in Ceiling gaze test, 73/100 in the Sphinx prone position test, and 91/100 in the Hands and knees prone position test. In the control group, 0/62 patients presented positive in the Ceiling gaze test, 4/62 in the Sphinx prone position test, and 0/62 in the Hands and knees prone position test. Sensitivity and specificity of the DHS test were 63.0%/100%, 73.0%/93.5%, and 91.0%/100% in the Ceiling gaze test, Sphinx position prone position test, and Hands and knees prone position test, respectively.
CONCLUSIONS: The prone position cervical extension test (DHS test) would be useful as a novel objective diagnostic tool for INEM-DHS.

暂无摘要。

METHODS: This is a retrospective study of a consecutive case series of dropped head syndrome (DHS).
OBJECTIVE: To identify the characteristic features of contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in DHS patients.
BACKGROUND: Isolated neck extensor myopathy DHS is thought to be caused by severe cervical extensor muscle weakness from age-related loss of elasticity. However, the MRI findings of the cervical extensor muscles in DHS patients have not yet been characterized.
METHODS: The subjects were 34 patients with isolated neck extensor myopathy DHS who underwent contrast-enhanced MRI within seven months after onset and 32 patients with age-matched cervical spondylosis or cervical soft-tissue tumor as controls. The presence of enhanced findings in the cervical extensor muscles, the involved cervical levels, and the characteristically enhanced shape of those muscles were evaluated using contrast-enhanced MRI.
RESULTS: In the DHS group, the contrast-enhanced MRI showed pronounced enhancement at splenius capitis in 34 cases, rhomboid in 23 cases, semispinalis cervicis in seven cases, and levator scapulae in three cases. In the non-DHS group, none of those extensor muscles were enhanced. The enhanced pattern was butterfly shaped in 29 cases (85.3%) and linear in five cases (14.7%). All were located at the spinous process attachment at C6 or C7 in the DHS group. In the non-DHS group, seven cases presented an enhanced image of the spinous process, with C5-6 in one case, C6 in five cases, and C7 in one case.
CONCLUSIONS: In DHS, contrast-enhanced MRI showed intramuscular enhancement of the cervical extensor muscles, which was not present in non-DHS cases. The enhanced muscles included the splenius capitis muscle in all cases. These findings may be useful for developing a strategy for DHS treatment.

Some myopathies can lead to dropped head or bent spine syndrome (DH/BS). The significance of this symptom has not been studied in inflammatory myopathies (IM).
To assess the significance of DH/BS in patients with IM.
Practitioners from five IM networks were invited to report patients with IM suffering from DH/BS (without other known cause than IM). IM patients without DH/BS, randomly selected in each participating centre, were included as controls at a ratio of 2 to 1.
49 DH/BS-IM patients (DH: 57.1%, BS: 42.9%) were compared with 98 control-IM patients. DH/BS-IM patients were older (65 years vs 53 years, p<0.0001) and the diagnosis of IM was delayed (6 months vs 3 months, p=0.009). Weakness prevailing in the upper limbs (42.9% vs 15.3%), dysphagia (57.1% vs 25.5%), muscle atrophy (65.3% vs 34.7%), weight loss (61.2% vs 23.5%) and loss of the ability to walk (24.5% vs 5.1%) were hallmarks of DH/BS-IM (p≤0.0005), for which the patients more frequently received intravenous immunoglobulins (65.3% vs 34.7%, p=0.0004). Moreover, DH/BS-IM patients frequently featured signs and/or complications of systemic sclerosis (SSc), fulfilling the American College of Rheumatology/European Alliance of Associations for Rheumatology criteria for this disease in 40.8% of the cases (vs 5.1%, p<0.0001). Distribution of the myopathy, its severity and its association with SSc were independently associated with DH/BS (p<0.05). Mortality was higher in the DH/BS-IM patients and loss of walking ability was independently associated with survival (p<0.05).
In IM patients, DH/BS is a marker of severity and is associated with SSc (scleromyositis).

暂无摘要。