Surgery is the type of treatment that should only be done as a last resort if medical treatments don't work. Surgery has many risks and when surgery is performed, the surgeon must decide that the risks of surgery are better than the risks of not performing the surgery.
In the case of crowned dens syndrome, where there is calcification on the second vertebrae, causing pain and pressure in the neck, medical treatment appears to be the best option.
Studies have shown that treatment with a corticosteroid and/or non-steroidal anti-inflammatories is very effective, with a low recurrence rate. For those patients who do have a recurrence, repeat treatment appears to be very successful as well.
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