Occipital Condyle Fractures in Adolescents

Abstract

CT of the cranio-cervical junction is the best method of diagnosing occipital condyle fractures. 2. The choice of an appropriate treatment method is decisively based on the assessment of the morphology and stability of the fracture in a CT/MRI scan rather than on the fracture type alone. 3. There is no noticeable difference between the usefulness of the classification system developed by Anderson and Montesano and that according to Tuli et al. 4. In our opinion, the system of occipital condyle fracture classification proposed in 2012 does not seem superior in everyday clinical practice. 5. The use of the halo-vest is a good method of treating unstable occipital condyle fractures. 6. Early diagnosis and appropriate treatment of cranio-cervical junction fractures make it possible for the fracture to heal without severe clinical sequelae.

Isolated condylar fractures diagnosed by post mortem computed tomography

“…OCFs are often overlooked in both clinical and autopsy settings. According to the currently available medical literature, CT scans are considered superior to conventional radiography [3, 20–22] when it comes to diagnosing OCFs. The widespread use of CT in clinical practice has caused this injury (once considered rare and occurring in less than 1% of traumatic cases [3]), to be detected more often in patients hospitalized after trauma.…”

“…According to the currently available medical literature, CT scans are considered superior to conventional radiography [3, 20–22] when it comes to diagnosing OCFs. The widespread use of CT in clinical practice has caused this injury (once considered rare and occurring in less than 1% of traumatic cases [3]), to be detected more often in patients hospitalized after trauma. Furthermore, recently there have been an increasing number of clinical reports in which attention is paid not only to the existence of this type of injury, but also to the complications that develop in patients with an OCF.…”

“…Although Leone et al [2] claimed that OCFs should not be considered completely infrequent and may occur in as many as 16% of patients with craniocervical injury in 2000, the general belief that OCFs are uncommon persists. This conviction extends beyond forensic pathology and into clinical medicine [3–8], with the pediatric population considered to have the lowest incidence of OCFs [9, 10].…”

Delayed Presentation of Atlanto-Occipital Dislocation with Fracture of Adjoining Bone with Diagnostic Challenge: Report of Two Cases

“…16 Classifications by Tuli et al 4 and Anderson and Montesano 5 focus on the stability of CVJ, which may be helpful in some cases, but we feel that AOJ injuries are so rare that it is difficult to standardize any classification-based treatment protocol for such patients. 6 Their rarity calls for individualization of treatments in such patients and detailed evaluation of radiology of OCs, C1, C2, and neurovascular structures of CMJ by the radiologist and the surgeon himself who is experienced in surgeries of CVJ. Volume-rendered CT images reveal morphologies of the region, which help the surgeon most while carrying out surgery, if needed.…”

“…Atlanto-occipital dislocation with fracture (AODF) of adjoining bone is rare, and surgery of this location is challenging due to its complex and occasionally variable anatomy due to various malformations. [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9] There are possibilities of array of traumatic dislocations of atlanto-occipital joint (AOJ) leading to deviation of location and course of the vertebral arteries. Delay in diagnosis is common, which makes the treatment more challenging because of malunions, remodeling of the dislocated or fractured segments, and change in the course of vertebral arteries.…”