Introduction
Craniovertebral junction (CVJ) is a junction with a complex structure
consisting of ligaments providing stability for the bones and joints
between the head and spinal column. Bony structures in this junction are
occipital bone (1) including the foramen magnum, clivus, and condylar
process and the first two vertebrae of the cervical spinal column: atlas
(C1) and axis (C2). Atlanto-occipital joint (AOJ), atlanto-dental joint
(ADJ), and atlanto-axial joint (AAJ) are present in this complex
structure. There are multiple ligaments and membranes providing
stability on the joint structures, however, the most important of those
are cruciate and alar ligaments. C1 and C2 vertebrae together with the
other joints in this region help to move the head. While AOJ is
responsible for the anterior and posterior movement of the head, ADJ is
responsible primarily for the axial rotation of the head.
Cranio-cervical junction (CCJ) is the region where the brainstem, spinal
cord, some cranial nerves, and vertebral arteries are located and
preserved. Numerous congenital or acquired (traumatic, inflammatory)
pathologies can affect the CVJ. Among the congenital pathologies,
atlanto-occipital assimilation (AOA), Klippel-Feil syndrome (KFS), and
similar rare segmentation and ossification abnormalities, malformations
like Os Odentoideum (OO) can narrow the spinal canal and can lead to
myelomalacia and neurological findings by compressing the spinal cord
(1-3).
In this study, we aimed to present the patients who was performed
cervical tomography due to various complaints and had congenital
pathologies originated from odontoid proses in the CVJ region causing
dislocation, myelomalacia, and neurological complications.