[Difficulties in the recognition and evaluation of injuries of the anterior cervical spine].

The difficulties encountered in diagnosis, course and medical opinion are shown by two cases concerning the upper cervical spine. One of them was a condyle of the third occipital bone due to predisposition, the other a splintered fracture of the lateral mass of the atlas. A definitive medical opinion can only be established on the basis of an analysis of symptoms and findings, an objective assessment of the course and a precise diagnosis. This prevents disappointment and helps to avoid a lot of paperwork and protracted procedures.