Q: A patient arrives after an MVC in which the car rolled several times. CT head – negative for injury, skull normal; CT cervical spine – occipital condyle fracture, normal alignment; neurologic examination is normal- able to move all extremities, GCS= 15; there is no drainage from the ears or nose, no ecchymosis.

A:150202.3; The occipital condyles are part of the base of the skull despite the diagnosis frequently appearing on the cervical CT scan. As with any basilar skull fracture, an assessment for CSF leak as well as head injury is important. In addition, since the occipital condyles articulate with the first cervical vertebrae, assessment for spinal cord injury is also important.