ABSTRACT
At the craniocervical junction, developmental anomalies of the axis may produce clinical symptoms by compressing the upper cervical cord during movements of the head and neck. The present study aimed at investigating several varieties and deformities of the axis on skeletal specimens of Eastern Anatolian origin. On 76 specimens, developmental anomalies and the variants of the second vertebrae (axis) were investigated. Hypoplasia of the dens axis in one specimen, the dens axis of a child with a bifid apex in another specimen and an arthrotic formation located on the apex of the dens in six axes were found. A bone protrusion narrowing the transverse foramen was also observed. The types of absence of the dens axis and clinical symptoms that may be caused by them are discussed. It was concluded that the frequency of arthrotic formations might reflect the possibility that the individuals suffered less commonly from neck pain due to arthrotic degeneration