Article ID: 37.4_03
We report a case of traumatic occipitoatlantal dislocation without neurological sequelae. The patient was a male in his 20s with no comorbidities. The cause of the injury was a direct hit to the right side of the head by heavy machinery. His chief complaint was right-sided head pain and neck pain. He had bleeding from the right external auditory canal. There were no abnormal neurological findings. We diagnosed an annular occipital bone dislocation. After a halo vest was placed, the patient was intubated using a bronchoscope. The patient then underwent occipital bone-C2/3 fixation. Traumatic occipitoatlantal dislocation may have a poor neurological prognosis due to delayed diagnosis. If there is soft tissue swelling or subarachnoid hemorrhage in the craniocervical transition region on CT, an annular occipital bone dislocation should be suspected and evaluated by at least two different methods. Early diagnosis, appropriate external fixation, and proper intubation are important.
