OCCIPITAL CONDYLAR FRACTURES - 14 OCCIPIT AL CONDYLAR FRACTURES WITH INTRAVITAL DIAGNOSIS USING UNSELECTED CASES OF ACCIDENTS OVER 4 YEARS

Fractures of occipital condyles (OCF) are known since 1817 (4). Until the 1990ies, some 60 cases have been published. There are only a few r eferences reporting on four to six own cases with intravital diagnosis (3, 5, 9, 13). The question is whether this is due to its rarity or w hether there is a diagnostic gap at the craniocervical region. From 6/ 91-6/95 ail head injured patients underwent CT-scans of this region in addition to the routine procedures. An OCF was found in 14 cases. A t yping was possible in modification of the literature (3): 3 x type I; 4 x type II; 4 x type ill, 3 x ''type IV''. One patient died on day 5. One ''type IV''-patient had to be operated because of a chronic epidu ral hematoma at the great foramen. Ail other patients were treated con servatively and showed a good outcome with some residual complaints lo cally. - OCFs are not so rare as supposed. OCF can be of significant i mportance if it occurs. Nothing is known on late effects in case of de formity of the great foramen by fragments (myelopathy?). - This is the hitherto largest series of OCF diagnosed in living patients.