Parilov S L, Klevno V A
Sud Med Ekspert. 2008 Nov-Dec;51(6):19-21.
Constructional defects of skull base synchondroses related to a fatal birth injury result only from bottom-upwards pressure of the vertebral column and always combine with a crack or displaced fracture of the sapheno-occipital suture. A postnatal injury having the form of occipital synchondrosis fracture occurs in case of a local impact on the cervico-occipital region and is not associated with a shear strain of lateral synchondrosis and any damage to the sapheno-occipital suture. The spinal birth injury is due to the axial load on the vertebrae in combination with excessive bending and rotation. The postnatal spinal trauma results from neck compression and closure of the mouth and nose openings. It can be either flexural or extensive with a rotational component or without it; in any case, it shows no signs of axial load on the vertebrae. In case of a postnatal combined craniospinal injury in a newborn infant, unlike birth trauma, there are no constructive shear strains with the rupture of lateral synchondroses of the major portion of the occipital bone and synchondrosis between the main part of the occipital bone and the sphenoid bone.
