Os odontoideum anomaly mimicking cervical fracture in a patient with maxillofacial trauma

A rare anatomic anomaly of the second cervical vertebra involving the odontoid process was first described in 1863 in a post-mortem specimen and then was called “Os Odontoideum” (OO) by Giacomini that coined this term in 1886. The etiology of the OO is still controversial and it focuses mainly on two theories: acquired and congenital. In this scientific paper, we present the case of a patient admitted to our ward following a displaced fracture of the jaw and with a radiological diagnosis of a cervical spine fracture. Only a careful clinical and instrumental evaluation allowed us to detect the presence of OO anomaly, thus modifying prognosis and treatment protocol. In our opinion, this rare clinical condition can be of interest to any medical professional who deals with traumatology, as it may be found in association with other post-traumatic pathologies, posing differential diagnosis problems or leading to possible misdiagnosis.