title: Spontaneously improving occipitocondylar hyperplasia: a case report.
abstract: This case report presents a pediatric patient with the extremely rare craniovertebral junction anomaly of occipitocondylar hyperplasia. This 4-year old boy presented with macrocephaly and mild to moderate pontomedullary compression from the unilateral occipitocondylar hyperplasia. Based on the asymptomatic clinical presentation, it was decided to follow the patient with serial magnetic resonance images without surgical intervention. Upon further imaging the occipitocondylar hyperplasia spontaneously resolved. This case report offers watchful waiting as an alternative treatment approach to surgical intervention as was reported in the literature previously. Possible pathophysiologic mechanisms are also briefly explored.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Neurosurgery, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, Texas, United States.
authors.forename: Laszlo
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Nagy
authors.affiliation: School of Medicine, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, Texas, United States.
authors.forename: Coby
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ray
keywords: hyperplasia; occipital condyle; occipitocondylar; skull base
references.citation: J Neurosurg Spine. 2004 Sep;1(2):188-97
references.pmid: 15347005
references.citation: J Neurosurg. 2005 Oct;103(4 Suppl):379-81
references.pmid: 16270692