What causes atlanto occipital dislocation?

Atlanto-occipital dislocation (AOD) is a devastating condition that frequently results in prehospital cardiorespiratory arrest and accounts for 15% of fatal spinal trauma. Atlanto-occipital dislocation occurs 5 times more commonly in children than adults, and is believed to be caused by hyperextension.

What is occipital dislocation?

Atlanto-occipital dislocation involves complete disruption of all ligamentous relationships between the occiput and the atlas. Death usually occurs immediately from stretching of the brainstem, which causes respiratory arrest. Radiographically, disassociation between the base of the occiput and the arch of C1 is seen.

What are the classifications of atlanto occipital injuries?

The Traynelis classification[8,19] (Figure ​2) divides AOD into 3 groups: (1) Type I is an anterior displacement of the occiput relative to the atlas; (2) Type II is a distraction of the occiput from the atlas; and (3) Type III is a posterior displacement of the occiput relative to the atlas.

What is AO dissociation?

Atlanto occipital dissociation are typically the result of motor vehicle accidents. They are potentially fatal (mortality rate 50-60%). Immediate diagnosis and treatment is crucial for a good outcome. Diagnosis is made using CT imaging, and if there is any doubt about the diagnosis, MRI.

What movement does the atlanto occipital joint allow?

flexion-extension
The principal movement at the atlantooccipital joint is flexion-extension. This movement permits nodding of the head, as seen when indicating approval (the “yes” movement).

What is occipital condyle fracture?

Occipital condyle fractures are traumatic injuries that involve articulation between the base of the skull and the cervical spine.

Where is the occipital condyles?

The occipital condyles are two large protuberances on the undersurface of the occipital bone, located besides the front half of the foramen magnum. It forms the connection between the skull and the vertebral coloumn.

What is Craniocervical dissociation?

Abstract. Object: Craniocervical dissociation (CCD) is a highly unstable and usually fatal injury resulting from osseoligamentous disruption between the occiput and C-2.

Can you survive a dislocated neck?

It is possible for a human to survive such an injury; however, 70% of cases result in immediate death. It should not be confused with atlanto-axial dislocation, which describes ligamentous separation between the first and second cervical vertebra.

How are the atlanto-occipital joints best classified?

The atlanto-occipital joint (articulation between the atlas and the occipital bone; Capsula articularis atlantooccipitalis) consists of a pair of condyloid joints. The atlanto-occipital joint is a synovial joint.

What does the atlanto-occipital joint do?

The atlanto-occipital joint (O-C1) acts as a pivot for the flexion/extension motion of the cranium, with 13 degrees average flexion/extension and 8 degrees lateral bending, thus allowing only a few degrees of axial rotation.

How do you treat an occipital fracture?

Open fractures, if contaminated, may require antibiotics in addition to tetanus toxoid. Sulfisoxazole is a common recommendation. Types I and II occipital condylar fractures are treated conservatively with neck stabilization, which is achieved with a hard (Philadelphia) collar or halo traction.

How is atlanto-occipital dislocation in a patient presenting with?

Background: Atlanto-occipital dislocation is a rare and severe injury of the upper spine associated with a very poor prognosis. Case presentation: We report the case of a 59-year-old European man who suffered from out-of-hospital cardiac arrest following a motor vehicle accident.

Can a hangman’s fracture be an atlanto occipital dislocation?

The Hangman’s fracture which is a fracture of the C2 vertebral body or dens of the cervical spine upon which the skull base sits to allow the head to rotate, can also be associated with atlanto-occipital dislocation. Despite its eponym, the fracture is not usually associated with a hanging mechanism of injury.

What are the symptoms of a non displaced fracture of the atlanto-axial joint?

Non-displaced fracture or dislocation of Atlanto-axial joint results in severe pain, numbness and weakness in upper extremities.

What causes atlanto-occipital traumatic dissociation ( AOD )?

Atlanto-occipital dissociation (AOD) results from high-energy trauma including from motor vehicle collisions. It is associated with high mortality rates due to brainstem and vascular lesions. It is seen in up to one-third of high-velocity motor vehicle injuries (30–32).