Treating atlantooccipital dislocation in very young children and infants: Solving the archimedean spiral

摘要

Tresting atlantooccipita! dislocation (AOD) in young children and infants, which involves correcting extreme instability in a complex and developmentally evolving region, is a near-mystical venture redolent of solving ancient riddles. It demands not only a thorough knowledge of the literature but also a measure of open-mindedness to adopt untried and unconventional methods, which is the subject of this commentary, inspired by the innovative article by Benzel et al. The arduous undertaking of stabilizing the loose craniovertebral junction (CVJ) of a young child can be divided into four phases, each rife with controversies.