How serious is a occipital condyle fracture?

Literature review shows that occipital condyle fractures are rare as isolated injuries and are in many cases accompanied by further injuries to the cervical spine and soft tissue structures, in many cases ending with severe disability. The exact mechanism leading to these injuries cannot always be explained.

How long does it take for an occipital bone fracture to heal?

Doctors often prescribe medication to manage pain, and most skull fractures will heal on their own over time. The average time for a skull fracture to heal is six weeks.

How do you treat an occipital fracture?

Types I and II occipital condylar fractures are treated conservatively with neck stabilization, which is achieved with a hard (Philadelphia) collar or halo traction.

Are occipital condyle fractures unstable?

Impacted fractures of the occipital condyles are considered to be stable fractures and are attributable to axial compression (the Jefferson mechanism). Skull fractures that extend to the area of the condyles are also considered to be stable.

What happens if you damage your occipital?

Injury to the occipital lobes may lead to vision impairments such as blindness or blind spots; visual distortions and visual inattention. The occipital lobes are also associated with various behaviors and functions that include: visual recognition; visual attention; and spatial analysis.

Where is the occipital condyle?

The OC, which is an oval-shaped osseous structure located at the base of the occipital bone, articulates the skull in relation to the cervical spine.

What does the occipital condyle do?

Here, the occipital condyle is a single rounded projection that is present on the rear of the skull and articulates with the first cervical (neck) vertebra. Functionally it allows the head to move from side to side, up and down, as well as to rotate.

Can damage to the occipital lobe be fixed?

With enough therapy, it can actually rewire nerve cells to allow undamaged brain regions to take over functions from damaged ones. Which means even if you have severe occipital lobe damage, you might still regain your sight after brain injury. Good luck!

Is the occipital condyle part of the spine?