[Congenital anomalies of cranio vertebral junction in children. Indications for surgery (author's transl)].

Based the review of 55 children of whom 19 were treated surgically, the authors have designed 6 anatomo-clinic entities. Each one of these has its own treatment ranging from nothing to decompression of the neural axis with arthrodesis. Relationship between bones and joints and nervous tissues are emphasized with the manner to appreciate them clinically and with X rays or computerised tomography. This has always to be done before any surgical treatment. The goals of this surgery are: --to give perfect stability and acceptable morphologic result of the relation between head and neck, and neural decompression --to cure, and prevent perhaps, progressive myelopathy of which we know the bad prognosis when discovered and treated in adult life.