Region I: Occipital condyle and craniocervical junction - Type C: Any injury with displacement

Type C injuries are any injury with significant translation between the occiput and the cervical spine in any plane.

These injuries are very unstable, life-threatening, and often require urgent operative management.

Occipitocervical dissociation is typically the result of high-energy motor vehicle accidents. This is potentially fatal (mortality rate 50–60%).

Immediate diagnosis and treatment are crucial for a good outcome.

Diagnosis is made using CT imaging, and if there is any doubt about the diagnosis, MRI.

Those who survive will often present unconscious with a sign of a brain or spinal cord injury.

These injuries are treated with immediate stabilization in a halo device, followed by occipitocervical fusion as soon as possible.