[Apropos of a case of Jefferson fracture: diagnosis, treatment, outcome and value of the CT-scanner in evaluating lesions and the quality of reduction].

A 53 year old man was admitted with severe pain localized high in the neck after he fell from a height of 3-4 meters on his head. Routine radiographic investigation, tomography and CT-scan disclosed a fracture of the right articular apophysis of the first cervical vertebra with diastasis. Complete reduction of the fracture was obtained after 30 days of traction. The patient resumed his full professional activity after consolidation of the fracture site. It is worth mentioning that in the literature the overall results of therapy are very deceptive.