Atlantooccipital dislocation clinical features

1. may be neurologically intact, therefore must be ruled out in any major trauma

2. bulbar-cervical dissociation

3. may have lower cranial nerve deficits (as well as VI palsies) ± cervical cord injury

4. worsening neurologic deficit with the application of cervical traction: check lateral C-spine films immediately after applying traction.

see Hypoglossal nerve palsy in a case of spontaneous atlantooccipital dislocation - a rare clinical finding in a rare clinical entity. And its complete recovery following corrective surgery ¹⁾.