PMID- 21125803
OWN - NLM
STAT- MEDLINE
DCOM- 20101223
LR  - 20161026
IS  - 0006-9248 (Print)
IS  - 0006-9248 (Linking)
VI  - 111
IP  - 10
DP  - 2010
TI  - Atlanto-occipital fusion: an osteological study with clinical implications.
PG  - 562-5
AB  - BACKGROUND: Atlanto-occipital fusion may be symptomatic or asymptomatic in 
      nature. The anomaly may be incidentally detected at autopsies or during routine 
      cadaveric dissections. The fusion of the atlas with occipital bone may result in 
      the compression of vertebral artery and first cervical nerve. METHODS: A total of 
      55 dried occipital bones in the Department of Anatomy, Universiti Kebangsaan 
      Malaysia (UKM) and Department of Anatomy, Universiti Malaya (UM) were included in 
      the study. The presence of atlantooccipital fusion was closely observed and 
      morphometric measurements were taken. RESULTS: Out of 55 dried occipital bones 
      studied, we observed atlanto-occiptalization in two bones (3.63 %). A total of 53 
      occipital bones (96.37 %) did not exhibit any anomalous fusions. Out of the two 
      anomalous atlanto-occiptal fusions, one was complete while the other had 
      unilateral right-sided fusion of the atlas with the occipital bone. CONCLUSION: 
      Atlanto-occipitalization may result in the compression of vertebral artery 
      thereby influencing the blood flow to the brain. Atlanto-occipitalization may 
      also result in compression of the first cervical nerve. The action of the 
      postural muscles on the extensor surface may be affected as a result of this 
      anomaly. The present article discusses the clinical implications of 
      atlanto-occipitalization, which may be beneficial for neurosurgeons, neurologists 
      and radiologists in day-to-day clinical practice (Fig. 3, Ref. 17).
FAU - Kassim, N M
AU  - Kassim NM
AD  - Department of Anatomy, Universiti Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
FAU - Latiff, A A
AU  - Latiff AA
FAU - Das, S
AU  - Das S
FAU - Ghafar, N A
AU  - Ghafar NA
FAU - Suhaimi, F H
AU  - Suhaimi FH
FAU - Othman, F
AU  - Othman F
FAU - Hussan, F
AU  - Hussan F
FAU - Sulaiman, I M
AU  - Sulaiman IM
LA  - eng
PT  - Journal Article
PL  - Slovakia
TA  - Bratisl Lek Listy
JT  - Bratislavske lekarske listy
JID - 0065324
SB  - IM
MH  - Atlanto-Occipital Joint/*abnormalities
MH  - Humans
MH  - Occipital Bone/pathology
MH  - Synostosis/pathology
EDAT- 2010/12/04 06:00
MHDA- 2010/12/25 06:00
CRDT- 2010/12/04 06:00
PHST- 2010/12/04 06:00 [entrez]
PHST- 2010/12/04 06:00 [pubmed]
PHST- 2010/12/25 06:00 [medline]
PST - ppublish
SO  - Bratisl Lek Listy. 2010;111(10):562-5.