What does this mean?

[ReD]

Cause of death listed as: "ATLANTO-OCCIPTAL SUBLUXATION WITH CORD INJURY Due to:MOTOR VEHICLE-MOTOR VEHICLE COLLISION (DRIVER)"

what is: ATLANTO-OCCIPTAL SUBLUXATION WITH CORD INJURY??

this person was flown to the ER where i work. they rearended a parked semi carrying telephone poles and this persons head was squashed.

and, yes i noticed that occipital is missing the second I.

[8151]

Google it. :)/

[chbare]

ReD, it sounds like he died from a high grade C-spine injury with injury to the spinal cord. ( C1-C2 area )

Take care,

chbare.

[AZCEP]

Atlanto-relates to the Atlas, or first cervical vertebrae

Occipital-relates to the bones over the posterior skull

The Atlas is in close proximity to the occiput so they can be described together

Subluxation is a specific type of movement of the joint, usually between vertebrae where shearing forces impinge on the spinal cord.

Basically this patient's skull moved over the top of the Atlas(C-1 vertebrae) cutting the brain stem. Even if they hadn't cut the cardiorespiratory center, from the mechanism you describe, they probably wouldn't have lasted long anyway.

The whole Traumatic Brain Injury bit.

[Ace844]

to describe via an acronym you will probably recognize...FUBAR

[Scaramedic]

In the words of the Reverend MC Hammer...

Break it Down!!!

ATLANTO-OCCIPTAL SUBLUXATION WITH CORD INJURY,

Atlanto-occipital joint: The articulation between the atlas and the occipital bone.

Subluxation: when one or more of the bones of your spine (vertebrae) move out of position and create pressure on, or irritate spinal nerves.

Cord Injury: an insult to the spinal cord resulting in a change, either temporary or permanent, in its normal motor, sensory, or autonomic function.

In other words, he done broke his neck!

Peace,

Marty

:joker:

Edit: Damn it I need to learn to type faster!!!!

[vs-eh?]

what is: ATLANTO-OCCIPTAL SUBLUXATION WITH CORD INJURY??

Break it down...

ANTLANTO = Atlas = C1 = first neck vertebrae.

OCCIPTAL = Occipital bone = 1 of the 2 major non-paired "flat" bones that make up the cranial vault. Put your hand on the back of your head. That is the occipital bone...

There are facets on the atlas which articulate with protuberances (I don't remember that they're called) on the occipital bone. As I recall around the foramen magnum, is the major point of articulation.

SUBLUXATION = displacement of a vertebrae.

Basically this patient died because of a "broken neck". More accurately I assume that the atlas was displaced on impact cause perhaps cord transection or significant pressure to cause mass injury and interruption of afferent/efferent impulses. Remember high spinal injuries are especially dangerous d/t phrenic nerve damage and signal interruption, with no "back up" with the intercostals. Probably died of hypoxia (because they literally could not breath) and mass vasodilation?

EDIT - DAMN YOU ALL...I WALK AWAY FROM MY COMP WHILE POSTING FOR 5 MINS!!!!!!!!! GAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :x

[AZCEP]

On the plus side, the responses are all the same.

Kind of a de facto fact checker.

[Ace844]

See this link: http://www.emedicine.com/orthoped/topic31.htm

Below are pics of the anatomy and the last ones are of the pts injury...

[ReD]

Probably died of hypoxia (because they literally could not breath) and mass vasodilation?

The story we got from flight crew and how it played out in the ED was:

pt was in cardiac arrest upon arrival of chopper, EMS had person intubated and full ACLS in progress. pt got pulse back in flight and was in sinus tach upon their arrival at the ED, i dont know vitals. we packaged pt up to go CT & ICU and the pt brady'd down to like 30 kept on down, CPR began again, and never got cardiac activity back.