Ankylosing Spondylitis Dental — ORE Part 1 MCQ
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Correct answer: A — Restricted neck movement affecting chair positioning and airway management
Ankylosing spondylitis may cause marked cervical spinal rigidity and fixed flexion deformity. The dentist should therefore establish whether the patient can be positioned comfortably and safely in the dental chair, avoid forcing neck extension, and alert the anaesthetic team if general anaesthesia is contemplated because tracheal intubation may be difficult. Cervical vertebrae in established disease may also be vulnerable to injury with excessive manipulation. Increased caries experience, gingival enlargement, mandibular fragility and generalised tooth mobility are not defining practical consequences of ankylosing spondylitis. Gingival enlargement may occur with certain medicines, but it is not an inherent feature of the disease and is not the principal management priority here.
Reference: Ahmad N, Channa AB, Mansoor A, Hussain A. Management of difficult intubation in a patient with ankylosing spondylitis--a case report. Middle East Journal of Anaesthesiology. 2005. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16438012/