The importance of occipitocervical anatomy, ligament ossification, and osteoarthritis in the diagnosis and treatment of occipitocervical diseases / 中华骨科杂志

ABSTRACT

Occipitocervical anatomy is characterized by deep location, complex structure, and unique function. The motor function of the occipitocervical region is highly flexible. How to achieve satisfactory spinal cord decompression with minimal invasion and how to effectively reconstruct biomechanical stability and maintain flexible motor function are important clinical problems that need to be solved urgently. However, this has also led surgeons to focus too much only on surgical techniques rather than comprehensive understanding and treatment of the disease. There are three common but easily ignored issues in clinical practice: Firstly, the importance of occipitocervical anatomy research to improve clinical diagnosis and treatment. The stability of the base of the skull and the lower cervical vertebra should also be considered in clinical diagnosis and treatment. Secondly, atlanto-occipito-atlantoaxial joint and local ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament. Atlantoaxial flexibility may lead to the earliest appearance of partial ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament in this region. Thirdly, atlanto-occipito-atlantoaxial joint osteoarthritis is often neglected, and paying attention to the diagnosis and treatment of atlanto-occipito-axial joint osteoarthritis will improve the overall curative effect of occipito-cervical diseases.