Bony observations of some morphological variations and anomalies of the craniovertebral region.
Human skeletons (214) belonging to a South African black and white cadaver population were pooled and examined for malformations of the craniovertebral region. Four crania, presenting with various manifestations of an occipital vertebra, such as a paracondylar process, epicondylar process, hypocondylar arch, and a third condyle were identified as well as two crania showing various degrees of assimilation of the atlas to the basicranium. Of particular interest was the identification of a cloverleaf-shaped foramen magnum in a cranium of an individual with achondroplasia as well as a cranium with marked asymmetry of both foramen magnum and occipital condyles. Due to the availability of both cranium and corresponding atlanto-axial components, the clinical significance of certain aspects of craniovertebral anomalies were vividly demonstrated, such as a pseudarthrosis formed by the meeting of a paracondylar process with an epitransverse process and a dens "riding high" in the foramen magnum as a result of assimilation of the atlas.
Taitz
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Department of Anatomy, Sackler School of Medicine, Ramat Aviv, Israel. taitz@post.tau.ac.il
D000130:Achondroplasia / Q000473:pathology; D000328:Adult; D044383:Black People; D002102:Cadaver; D002574:Cervical Vertebrae / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D006259:Craniocerebral Trauma / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D005539:Foramen Magnum / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009777:Occipital Bone / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D012886:Skull / Q000002:abnormalities* / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D044465:White People