title: Occipital bone thickness: Implications on occipital-cervical fusion. A cadaveric study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to create a map of the occipital bone using a cadaveric morphometric analysis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twelve heads, from seven male and five female cadavers, were studied. The thickness of the occipital bone was measured with a digital vernier caliper within a coordinate system.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The maximum thickness of the occipital bone could be measured at the external occipital protuberance (mean 15.4 mm; range 9-29.3 mm). All male individuals had higher bone thickness around this point. Further lateral a steady decrease of bone thickness could be observed. Same could be observed in craniocaudal direction. However, values above the superior nuchal line were on average thicker than below.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The measurements demonstrated a great individual variability of bone thickness of the occipital bone. The results emphasize the role of preoperative planning for the feasibility of placement of an occipital screw.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Orthopaedic and Trauma Surgery, University Medical Centre, Cologne, Germany.
authors.forename: Kourosh
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Zarghooni
authors.affiliation: Centre for Orthopaedic and Trauma Surgery, University Medical Centre, Cologne, Germany.
authors.forename: Chrisoph K
authors.initials: CK
authors.lastname: Boese
authors.affiliation: Centre for Orthopaedic and Trauma Surgery, University Medical Centre, Cologne, Germany.
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Siewe
authors.affiliation: Centre for Orthopaedic, Themistocles Gluck Hospital, Germany.
authors.forename: Marc
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Röllinghoff
authors.affiliation: Centre for Orthopaedic and Trauma Surgery, University Medical Centre, Cologne, Germany.
authors.forename: Peer
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Eysel
authors.affiliation: Centre for Orthopaedic and Trauma Surgery, University Medical Centre, Cologne, Germany. Electronic address: max.scheyerer@uk-koeln.de.
authors.forename: Max J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Scheyerer
mesh_terms: D002102:Cadaver; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009777:Occipital Bone / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D012737:Sex Factors
keywords: Occipital bone; Occipital bone thickness; Occipital-cervical fusion; Occipital-cervical junction