Unusual mechanism of lethal cervical spinal cord injury in a case of atlanto-axial diastasis.
A case of traumatic cervical spinal cord injury due to congenital craniocervical abnormalities is described. The autopsy revealed evidence of hyperextension of the neck due to frontal impact, congenital occipitalization of the atlas accompanied by basilar invagination of the odontoid process and atlanto-axial diastasis. The subsequent narrowing of the spinal canal led to a predisposition for this unusual mechanism of spinal cord injury.
Department of Legal Medicine, Jikei University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan.
Y
Y
Aragaki
A
A
Takatsu
A
A
Shigeta
D000063:Accidents, Traffic / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D000368:Aged; D001268:Atlanto-Axial Joint / Q000002:abnormalities* / Q000293:injuries / Q000473:pathology; D001642:Bicycling / Q000293:injuries*; D006801:Humans; D004204:Joint Dislocations / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D009102:Multiple Organ Failure / Q000473:pathology; D010985:Platybasia / Q000473:pathology*; D012307:Risk Factors; D013119:Spinal Cord Injuries / Q000473:pathology*; D014911:Whiplash Injuries / Q000473:pathology*