Traumatic retroclival epidural hematoma and unilateral occipital condylar fracture in an adult patient

ABSTRACT

Retroclival epidural hematoma is rare, with fewer than 30 cases reported in the literature. Almost all of the previously reported cases occurred in children, with only a few cases affecting adults. Among these adult patients, only two suffered from the associated occipital condyle fracture (OCF), which is another rare injury. The patient involved in this study suffered from retroclival epidural hematoma and unilateral occipital condyle fracture, as demonstrated on both CT and MRI scans. The patient also suffered from an associated right brachial plexus injury without any other neurological deficits, a condition that has not previously been reported. This paper reviews the underlying mechanisms of these rare injuries and seeks to form an understanding of them before proposing the mechanism of injury in the patient involved in the study