Occipitocervical Injuries

There is a wide spectrum of injuries that occur at the occipitocervical junction. Although a majority of the injuries can be treated nonoperatively, a combination of fractures and ligamentous injuries to this region can lead to the need for surgical intervention, to provide stabilization of this critical region. The increased use of advanced imaging studies, such as computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging, has led to an increased recognition of these injuries, with improvement in classification and treatment recommendations.