Computed Tomography-Based Occipital Condyle Morphometric Analysis in the Turkish Population: A Trajectory Analysis...

Area of Science:

• Neurosurgery
• Anatomy
• Orthopedics

Background:

• The occipital condyle (OC) is critical for craniovertebral junction stability.
• Precise screw instrumentation of the OC requires detailed anatomical knowledge.
• Variations in OC morphology can impact surgical outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze occipital condyle dimensions and angles for surgical screw selection.
• To establish reference values for accurate screw insertion angles.
• To aid preoperative planning for craniovertebral junction stabilization.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of 240 occipital condyles from 120 patients via CT scans.
• Measurements included sagittal length, height, condyle angle, and width.
• Statistical analysis using the Wilcoxon rank-sum test (p < 0.05).

Main Results:

• Mean sagittal length: 17.2 ± 1.7 mm; mean height: 9.1 ± 1.5 mm.
• Average condyle angle: 38.0 ± 5.5 mm; width: 19.6 ± 2.6 mm; height: 9.5 ± 1.0 mm.
• Females exhibited smaller condyle width and screw angles than males.

Conclusions:

• Occipital condyle morphology provides crucial data for surgical planning.
• These findings are specific to the Turkish population.
• The study offers statistically significant insights for occipital condyle screw instrumentation.