Unrecognized traumatic atlanto-occipital dislocation.
This report describes the case of a 67-year-old male victim of an auto-pedestrian accident who was alert and neurologically intact on initial presentation. The patient denied head or neck pain and was without evidence of craniocervical injury. A lateral c-spine radiograph did not show any abnormal findings. The patient deteriorated during his trauma evaluation and was refractory to resuscitation. At autopsy, he was found to have an atlanto-occipital dislocation (AOD). The case is discussed and the anatomic, clinical, and radiographic features of atlanto-occipital dislocation are reviewed.
Henry
M B
MB
Department of Emergency Medicine, Geisinger Medical Center, Danville, PA 17822, USA.
Angelastro
D B
DB
Gillen
J P
JP
D000063:Accidents, Traffic; D000368:Aged; D001269:Atlanto-Occipital Joint / Q000293:injuries*; D004638:Emergency Treatment; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D005264:Femoral Fractures / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D006810:Humeral Fractures / Q000209:etiology; D004204:Joint Dislocations / Q000145:classification / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000209:etiology; D008297:Male; D009104:Multiple Trauma / Q000209:etiology; D011859:Radiography; D013978:Tibial Fractures / Q000209:etiology