Cervical Vertebral Anomalies Research Articles

Bow hunter’s syndrome due to an anomalous right vertebral artery origin and contralateral absence: a case report and literature review

BackgroundBow Hunter’s syndrome (BHS), also known as rotational vertebral artery occlusion (RVAO), is a rare condition characterized by dynamic vertebrobasilar insufficiency due to position-dependent occlusion of the vertebral artery (VA). In the existing literature, most cases of BHS are attributed to osteophytic compression originating from the occipital condyle or within the transverse foramen, often accompanied by anatomical abnormalities of the VA. However, cases presenting solely with VA anomalies in the absence of any cervical vertebral structural abnormality are rare. This case report presents a unique instance of BHS in a 56-year-old male, attributed to the anomalous origin of the right VA and the absence of the left VA, without cervical structural abnormalities.Case presentationThe patient exhibited symptoms like episodic dizziness and vertigo, which were exacerbated by rightward head rotation and alleviated upon returning to a neutral position. Diagnostic evaluation, including digital subtraction angiography, revealed that the right VA originated from the right common carotid artery and compression-induced stenosis of the right VA during head rotation. Conservative management, including avoidance of certain head movements and anti-arteriosclerosis medication, led to symptom resolution over a two-year follow-up period.ConclusionsThis report contributes to the understanding of BHS by highlighting a rare vascular anomaly presentation and incorporates a review of 14 similar case reports in the literature describing that an anatomical abnormality of the VA is mainly responsible for the pathology of BHS in the absence of cervical vertebral anomalies, thus emphasizing the need for careful diagnostic and management strategies.

Absence of the Posterior Element of C1 and C2 Along With Mild Wedge Shape in Body of C3: Case Report

Due to the wide variety of cervical vertebral congenital anomalies, knowledge of their types and related clinical conditions can prove to be helpful for physicians and surgeons in the diagnosis and treatment of patients. The aim of this study is to report on a rare case of unstable cervical vertebral congenital anomaly in which the patient had a defect in the body of the C3 vertebra in addition to defects in the posterior arch of C1 and posterior element of C2. This type of anomaly has not been reported so far in the literature. To reduce the patient’s related neurological disorders, our treatment choice for this patient was occipitocervical fusion (OCF) surgery. At the 3-year postoperative follow-up, all sensory and motor problems related to this anomaly affecting the patient's upper and lower limbs and causing shoulder and neck pain were eliminated. In this rare type of anomaly, OCF surgery seems to be an effective choice in relieving the patient's neurological symptoms.

Cephalometric Evaluation of the Relationship Between Cervical Vertebral Morphology and Anomalies and the Cranial Base Angle in Different Facial Types and Skeletal Classes

This study examines the morphology and common anomalies of the cervical vertebrae in different skeletal classes and facial types. This cross-sectional study was conducted on 137 lateral cephalometric images of patients aged 18-55 years. The images were evaluated for fusion and posterior arch deficiency as the two most common anomalies along with cervical vertebral morphology (dense angle, the height of the posterior arch of the atlas, the external anterior posterior diameter of the atlas, and the cranial base angle). Data were categorized into three skeletal classes based on the Wits analysis and the ANB angle and also three facial types based on the SN-MP angle. These calculations were performed in SPSS 22 at the significance level of P<0.05. The height of the posterior arch of the atlas was directly and significantly related to age and increased with it. The mean external anterior posterior diameter of C1 was higher in men and in the hypodivergent group. As for the other factors, including cervical spine anomalies, no significant relationship was observed with age, sex, skeletal classes, facial types, and the cranial base angle. Moreover, the mean morphology of the cervical spine was not significantly associated with skeletal classes. Based on the results, the height of the posterior arch of the atlas was associated with age and increased along with it. Moreover, the mean external anterior posterior diameter of the atlas was greater in men and in hypodivergent individuals.

SELLA TURCICA BRIDGING IN PATIENTS WITH GORLIN-GOLTZ SYNDROME AND ITS IMPLICATIONS

Patients with Gorlin-Goltz syndrome, also called nevoid basal cell carcinoma syndrome (NBCCS), can present sella turcica bridging (STB), which has been associated with the development of dental and cervical vertebral anomalies. In our clinical cases series, we analyzed skull and cervical spine x-rays of 7 patients with NBCCS and STB. Three patients had STB associated with dental (agenesis, tooth impaction, hyperdontia, diastemata, microdontia, gyroversion, and supernumerary teeth) and cervical (rudimentary cervical discs and ossification of the nuchal ligament) anomalies, 3 had STB associated with dental alterations (tooth impaction, gyroversion, and agenesis), and 1 had STB associated with cervical abnormality (partial fusion of the vertebrae). The pathogenic mutation of genes (PTCH1, PTHC2, or SUFU) involved in the main pathway related to embryonic development, sonic hedgehog, promotes accumulate changes in the neural crest cells of patients with NBCCS, which phenotypically express as STB and dental and cervical vertebrae anomalies.

Syndrome Associated with Cervical Vertebrae Anomalies and Orthodontic Relevance

Cervical vertebrae anomalies (such as Dehiscence, fusion of cervical spine, occipitalization) are associated with myelopathy, cause limitation in neck movement, muscular atrophy, and regional sensory loss. These cervical vertebrae anomalies are associated with syndromes such as Klippel-Feil syndrome, Goldenhar syndrome, Pfeiffer syndrome, Crouzon syndrome, Apert syndrome, Larsen syndrome and 22q11.2 micro deletion syndromes. Cervical vertebrae anomalies can be visualized in lateral cephalogram which is routinely advised for orthodontic patients to assess maxillary and mandibular relationship. Assessment of CVA in lateral cephalogram at an early age is essential, not only for treatment of the malformation but because there may be an association with other spinal and non-spinal diseases related to development. Present review discusses about various syndromes and clinical manifestations associated with cervical vertebrae anomalies and its relevance in orthodontics.

MEDIASTINAL ENTERIC CYST: AN UNCOMMON CAUSE OF RECURRENT LOWER RESPIRATORY TRACT INFECTIONS IN CHILDREN

Enteric cysts in posterior mediastinum are rare congenital anomalies in children. A wide range of clinical manifestations can be found ranging from absence of symptoms to life threatening respiratory distress. We report a child case who had recurrent lower respiratory tract infections due to mediastinal enteric cyst accompanied by vertebral defects. A 6-year-old girl presented to the Clinic with a history of cough, fever and left chest pain. She had recurrent episodes of lower respiratory tract infections in the past. On physical examination no breath sounds were heard over the left chest. Chest x-ray revealed a left upper lobe atelectasis. A chest computed tomography scan showed a cystic mass in the left posterior mediastinum associated with cervicothoracic vertebral malformations. Thoracotomy was performed and the cyst was excised. Histopathology report revealed the diagnosis of enteric cyst. The patient recovered well from the surgery and was free of respiratory symptoms after that. Although mediastinal enteric cysts are uncommon conditions, it is essential to be considered in the differential diagnosis of respiratory distress among children. Clinicians should always keep in mind that the presence of associated cervical or thoracic vertebral anomalies may represent an important early clue to the diagnosis. The tendency of mediastinal enteric cyst to enlarge and cause subsequent respiratory distress is sufficient reason for early operative treatment and should be undertaken before the complications occur. Key words: Enteric cyst, lower respiratory tract infections, thoracotomy, children.

Presence of Cervical Vertebral Anomalies with Concomitant Non-Communicating Hydrocephalus and Multicystic Kidney in a Female Fetus: Where VACTERL-H Meets MURCS

Background Congenital multisystemic lesions with co-occurrence of non-random malformations, such as VACTERL-H or MURCS association, often pose serious threads to the newborn and still constitute an antenatal diagnostic dilemma. Case report A malformed fetus with VACTERL-H association at 20 gestational weeks had a skin-covered neural tube defect (NTD) of the lower cervical spine, concomitant hydrocephalus, as well as unilateral multicystic dysplastic kidney and the suspicion of mullerian duct anomaly as potentially assigned to MURCS association. Discussion/Conclusion We were able to demonstrate how well-defined, standardized volumetric reconstruction of diagnostic views displaying fetal pathology in utero might aid early and precise diagnosis of multi-organ malformations. Application of modern diagnostic imaging tools is helpful in delineation of the most likely diagnoses (VACTERL-H vs. MURCS) as further specified during detailed pathologic work-up and might consequently facilitate individually tailored interdisciplinary counseling, as in the case presented here.

Cross-sectional analysis of associated anomalies and vertebral anomaly location in 1289 surgical congenital scoliosis.

This study systematically analyzed and assessed the interrelationships among vertebral anomaly location, congenital scoliosis (CS) type and associated abnormality prevalence. We retrospectively extracted medical records of 1289 CS inpatients surgically treated in our institute from January 2010-December 2019. All patients underwent spinal X-ray, CT, MRI, echocardiogram, urogenital ultrasound and systemic physical examination. We analyzed information on demographics, CS type, associated anomalies and vertebral anomaly location. Cervical, thoracic and lumbar vertebral anomalies were found in 5.7%, 78.1% and 33.6% of patients, respectively. 82.7% had one region involved. 59.5% with cervical malformations had mixed defects and 61.1% with lumbar malformations exhibited failure of formation. The musculoskeletal defect prevalence was 28.4%, 19.1% and 9.0% in patients with cervical, thoracic and lumbar anomalies. The intraspinal defect prevalence was 33.4% and 20.7% for thoracic and lumbar anomalies. 86.5% of patients with cervical anomalies had more than one region involved, while 78.1% and 62.2% with thoracic and lumbar anomalies, respectively, had only one region involved. Cervical malformations had higher prevalence of mixed defects, musculoskeletal and intraspinal defects and multi-region involved. Thoracic malformations had higher prevalence of intraspinal and musculoskeletal defects and more involvement of only one vertebral region. Lumbar vertebral malformation patients had much lower prevalence of intraspinal and musculoskeletal defects and more involvement of only one vertebral region. Cervical malformation was a risk factor for more associated anomalies and more severe vertebral anomalies, which deserves more attention from surgeons in outpatient clinic.

Three-Dimensional Assessment of Cervical Vertebrae Anomalies in Patients With Cleft Lip and Palate.

To evaluate the occurrence of cervical vertebrae anomalies (CVA) in patients with unilateral (UCLP) and bilateral cleft lip and palate (BCLP) using cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) examinations. Retrospective assessment of CBCT images. Descriptive statistics were calculated. Fisher exact test or χ2 test was performed to evaluate the differences among each CVA between sex and type of cleft. School of Dentistry. One hundred fifty-one patients with cleft lip and palate (103 UCLP/48 BCLP). No relevant intervention. Cone beam computed tomography images were assessed for the presence or absence of 12 most commonly observed CVA: spina bifida, dehiscence, cleft of the posterior arch, cleft of the anterior arch, fusion between cervical vertebrae, block fusion, occipitalization, narrowing of the intervertebral space, posterior ponticle, os odontoideum, ossiculum terminale, and subdental cartilaginous remnants. The presence of subdental cartilaginous remnants was the most frequently observed alteration-found in 81.45% of the sample-and it was the only CVA with statistically significant frequencies in the individuals with BCLP. Considering only the other CVA, 22.51% presented 1 and 5.29% presented 2 or more CVA. Patients with cleft lip and palate may present an overall high incidence of CVAs. However, when comparing the distribution of the CVAs among sex and types of cleft, the only significant difference noted was a higher incidence of subdental cartilaginous remnants among patients with BCLP.

Evaluation of the cervical vertebral anomalies in patients with cleft lip and palate in Aegean region of Turkey.

To identify the cervical vertebral anomalies in patients with cleft lip and palate, and to compare unilateral and bilateral cleft lip and palate. The retrospective cohort study was conducted in 2018 at Department of Orthodontics, Ege University, Izmir, Turkey, and comprised non-deteriorated lateral cephalometric radiographs of non-syndromic patients which showed the entire cervical spine. The radiographs were divided into two groups, with group A having those of patients with cleft lip and palate exposure, and control group B having those with non-exposure. Within group A, unilateral and bilateral cleft lip and palate cases were compared. Data was analysed using SPSS 22. Of the 220 subjects, 110(50%) were in group A with a mean age of 15±6.3 years, and 110(50%) were in group B with a mean age of 15±2.1 years. Within group A, 56(50.9%) subjects had unilateral and 54(49.1%) had bilateral cleft lip and palate. Cervical vertebral anomalies were found in 71(64.5%) patients and 45(40.9%) controls (p<0.001). Among those with bilateral condition, it was found in 41(75.9%) and in unilateral 56(56.6%) (p<0.05). Occipitalisation was 21(38.9%) in bilateral and 4(7.1%) in unilateral cases (p<0.001). Fusion was higher in bilateral patients 16(63%) compared to 23(41.1%) unilateral (p<0.05). Posterior arch deficiencies were found in 30(27.3%) patients in group A and 18(16.4%) controls in group B (p<0.05). Fusion was seen in 57(51.8%) group A patients and 33(30%) group B controls (p<0.001). Cervical vertebral anomalies were mostly found in patients with cleft lip and palate. In patients with bilateral condition, more than one anomaly was seen.

Imaging findings for Atlanto-occipital assimilation with multiple cervical vertebral anomalies in a Beagle dog: A 2 year follow-up

A 3-year-old male Beagle dog was presented for a physical examination, which revealed a mild stiff neck that was affecting movement. The imaging modalities led to our diagnosis of an asymmetric fusion of the occipital condyle and atlas wing consistent with Atlanto-occipital assimilation (AOA). An incomplete ossification of the atlas and axis, dysplastic dens, and a blocked vertebra were also noted. During a two-year follow-up, the dog showed no other clinical signs or disease progression. To our knowledge, this is the first imaging description of AOA in veterinary medicine. We recommend a careful CT (computed tomography) and an MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) evaluation in cases of neck pain and cervical myelopathy, and inclusion of AOA among the differential diagnoses, with the awareness that its clinical signs resemble those of other canine diseases.

A LATERAL CEPHALOGRAPHIC EVALUATION OF ASSOCIATION OF CLEFT LIP AND PALATE WITH CERVICAL VERTEBRAL ANOMALIES

Generally, orthodontic treatment and intervention are timed to take place before or during the peak growth velocity or pubertal growth spurt to achieve favorable effects in correcting sagittal, transverse, and vertical plane disharmonies. Skeletal maturity and growth spurts have been assessed by several methods in the literature, including chronological age, dental development, and sexual maturation characteristics. All of these methods have limitations, such as poor correlation with growth spurt. Hence based on above findings the present study was planned for A Lateral Cephalographic Evaluation of Association of Cleft Lip and Palate with Cervical Vertebral Anomalies.&#x0D; The present study was planned in Department of Dentistry, Anugrah Narayan Magadh Medical College and Hospital, Gaya, Bihar, India. In the present study 20 cases of the age from 5 to 20 years suffered from the cleft lip and Palate were enrolled and evaluated with the different parameters. The radiographs were traced for cervical spine from C1- C4 on an acetate paper with 3H pencil under optimal illumination. Cervical vertebral anomalies were recorded and categorized into posterior arch deficiencies and fusion or both.&#x0D; The data generated from the present study concludes that the association between cleft lip and palate and cervical vertebral anomalies indicates that cervical vertebral anomalies may be implicated as the etiology of cleft lip and palate. As oral and maxillofacial radiologists, lateral cephalographs are easily available in records of dental patients and can be used to identify cervical vertebral anomalies. Cervical vertebral anomalies can predispose to further disorders and identification of such anomalies mandates referral to the concerned specialist for appropriate management.&#x0D; Keywords: Cleft Lip and Palate; Cervical Vertebral Anomalies; Dehiscence; Fusion; Lateral Cephalographs, etc.

EVALUATION OF ASSOCIATION OF CLEFT LIP AND CLEFT PALATE WITH CERVICAL VERTEBRAL ANOMALIES: A LATERAL CEPHALOGRAPH STUDY

The precise origin of cervical vertebral anomalies is still unstated, but it has been suggested that the association between abnormal development of cervical vertebrae and the maxilla and the mandible might be caused by a developmental fault of the mesenchyme as these structures might be dependent on the similar para-axial mesoderm. Hence it is appropriate to focus on this area of research and to consider the craniofacial morphology as an important diagnostic tool in Orthodontic treatment planning. The present study was planned to evaluate the association of Cleft lip and Cleft palate with cervical vertebral anomalies.&#x0D; The present study was planned in Department of Pediatric and Preventive Dentistry, Buddha Institute of Dental Sciences &amp; Hospital, Patna, Bihar, India. Thirty cases of Cleft Lip and Cleft Palate (CLCP) patients were enrolled in the present study. The age of the patients ranged from 5 years to 15 years. The cleft sample were subdivided into patients with CP only, and unilateral cleft lip and palate (UCLP) and bilateral cleft lip and palate (BCLP). Radiographs were examined on a film viewer by a single examiner. The profile of first four cervical vertebrae and Atlanto Occipital Articulation were structurally traced on an acetate paper with 3H lead pencil under optimum illumination and Cervical Vertebral Anomalies (CVA) were registered and categorized into Posterior Arch Deficiencies - PAD (dehiscence and spina bifid) and fusion.&#x0D; The present study concludes the association between cleft lip and palate and Cervical Vertebral Anomalies indicating that CVA may be implicated as the etiology of cleft lip and palate. The present study showed a specific relation between the Cleft Palate and cervical anomalies and the vertebral anomalies following a specific pattern in different types of cleft was found to be PAD which occurred more frequently in UCLP and CP only and fusion occurring significantly more often in BCLP.&#x0D; Keywords: Cleft Lip and Cleft Palate; Cervical Vertebral Anomalies; Dehiscence; Fusion; Lateral Cephalograph

Axial Mesodermal Dysplasia Complex with a Unique Abnormal Course of Vestibulocochlear Nerve

Axial mesodermal dysplasia complex (AMDC) is a combination of multiple congenital malformations arising due to the mesodermal cell migration, neural tube fusion, and rhombencephalon segmentation. Here, we present the imaging findings of a 15-year-old boy with AMDC who has bilateral inner ear malformations associated with a vestibulocochlear nerve extending to Meckel cave, cystic lesion in prepontine cisterna, cervical vertebral segmentation anomalies, and maxillar bone anomalies.

Cervical vertebrae anomalies and cleft lip and palate: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

This study investigated the association of congenital cervical vertebrae anomalies (CVA) with the prevalence of cleft lip and palate (CLP) specifying the most frequent associations. A meta-analysis was based on the Preferred Reporting Items of Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses guideline. A search of the PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, Science Direct, Scopus and Lilacs database was performed until March 2018. Clinical studies that evaluated CVA in individuals with CLP (experimental group) and without CLP (control group) was included. For the statistical analysis, the software Comprehensive Meta-Analysis (Biostat; Englewood, NJ) was used, with a p-value < 0.05 considered significant. A total of 10 articles were included, for a total of 2566 individuals with CLP and 2301 individuals without CLP. The meta-analysis indicated statistically significant differences and the group of individuals with CLP had an increased number of CVA when compared to the group of individuals without CLP (p < 0.05; 95% confidence interval, 2.41-6.11; heterogeneity: Q-value 32.8, I2 72.6%). This study indicated that CVA are associated with the presence of CLP. Among the patients with CVA the most frequent anomalies were the deficiency of the posterior arch, followed by the fusion of cervical vertebrae. Individuals with cleft palate and those with unilateral cleft lip and palateCLP had an increased prevalence of CVA.

Prevalence of cervical vertebrae anomalies in patients with cleft lip and palate

Abstract Objective To investigate the prevalence of cervical vertebral anomalies (CVA) in a group of patients presenting with cleft lip and palate (CLP) and to compare with a non-cleft population. Material and methods The sample comprised of 150 lateral cephalograms of non-syndromic patients with CLP and 150 non-cleft age-matched controls. The age range of both groups covered 6 to 20 years. An expert radiologist blinded to the cleft status evaluated the cephalograms for CVA and categorised them into normal, fusion, dehiscence and multiple cervical anomalies. The cleft group was subdivided according to the types of cleft (UCLP/ BCLP/ CPO) and gender (male/female). The CVA prevalence was compared between the cleft and non-cleft patients. Results The prevalence of CVA was 37.7% and 20.7% in cleft and non-cleft patients, respectively. The difference was statistically significant with a p-value &lt;0.01. Of the types of clefts, a left UCLP had the highest prevalence of CVA (47.2%), with fusion (35.8%) most commonly seen. On comparing CLP with CPO, no significant variation was observed between the types of anomalies. Conclusions A high prevalence of CVA was observed in cleft patients compared with non-cleft subjects. The prevalence of CVA was similar between males and females. The practitioner should carefully evaluate the lateral cephalogram of CLP patients for CVA, which otherwise may remain undetected and lead to neurological symptoms later in life.

The evaluation of the relationship between cervical vertebral anomalies with skeletal malocclusion types and upper airway dimensions

ABSTRACTObjectives: To compare the prevalence of cervical vertebral anomalies (CVAs) in different skeletal malocclusions and to evaluate the relationship between upper airway dimension and vertebral anomalies.Methods: A retrospective study was performed on lateral cephalometric radiographs of 2062 patients aged 7–49 years. Skeletal malocclusion type, presence of CVAs, and upper airway area of 1856 patients who met the inclusion criteria of the study were recorded. The obtained data were transferred to the SPSS program for statistical analysis.Results: The mean age of the patients was 13.8 ± 3.7 years. The prevalence of CVAs was 45.7%. There was no significant difference in prevalence between skeletal malocclusions (p = 0.89). According to airway measurements, no significant difference was found between patients with and without CVAs (p = 0.718).Conclusion: The present results suggest that there is no direct effect of skeletal malocclusion type and upper airway dimension in the etiology of CVAs.

Cone beam computed tomography evaluation of ponticulus posticus in patients with cleft lip and palate: a retrospective radio-anatomic study.

Ponticulus posticus (PP) is an abnormal bony bridge on the atlas. It plays a significant role in patients undergoing C1 lateral mass screw procedure. Patients with cleft lip and palate (CLP) have higher risk than patients in general population for the appearance of cervical vertebral anomalies. The purpose of the this study was twofold: to determine the prevalence and characteristics of PP in patients with CLP, and to compare the findings with patients in general population using cone beam computed tomography. Cone beam computed tomography images from 54 individuals who had undergone surgical repair of cleft lip and/or palate were analysed as the study group. For comparison purposes a control group was randomly selected from 108 patients and matched with the CLP subjects. Although 12 of the 54 (22.3%) patients with surgically repaired cleft lip and/or palate in the study group were identified to have PP, only 10 of the 108 (9.2%) patients in the control group had PP. The distribution of the presence of PP between the groups was statistically significant. Ponticulus posticus is an important anomaly and the presence of PP is important for patients. PP can have clinical significance in cervical spine surgery as this study has indicated that the likelihood of encountering PP is higher in patients with CLP. We suggest that PP should be taken into account prior to cervical vertebral surgery in patients with CLP. (Folia Morphol 2018; 77, 1: 72-78).

Prevalence of Renal and Cervical Vertebral Anomalies in Patients With Isolated Microtia and/or Aural Atresia.

The objective of this study was to determine whether patients with isolated microtia or aural atresia have an increased prevalence of renal or cervical vertebral anomalies. The study design was a retrospective medical record review. The setting was the following four distinct institutions: an urban tertiary care children's hospital, two urban academic medical centers, and a staff-model health maintenance organization. Patients diagnosed with microtia, aural atresia, or oculoauriculovertebral spectrum were identified. Patients with facial asymmetry, craniofacial microsomia, and other craniofacial abnormalities or syndromes were excluded. Main outcome measures were the number of patients with isolated microtia or aural atresia who underwent a renal ultrasound or cervical spine X-ray, the results of those studies, and further evaluation or treatment for any abnormalities found. A binomial analysis using a one-sided 95% confidence level was performed. A total of 514 patients with isolated microtia and/or aural atresia were identified. Of these patients, 145 (28%) had undergone a renal ultrasound and 81 (16%) had undergone cervical spine X-rays. A total of 3 patients (2%) had minimal renal pelviectasis, all of which had resolved on repeat ultrasound and required no treatment. There were no structural renal abnormalities identified, and there were no cervical spine abnormalities identified. The data suggest that there is no increased prevalence of structural renal or cervical vertebral anomalies in patients with isolated microtia and/or aural atresia. Therefore, these patients do not require routine screening renal ultrasound or cervical spine X-rays.

The association of cleft lip and palate with cervical vertebral anomalies- a lateral cephalographic study

Background: Cleft lip and palate is the most common major congenital craniofacial abnormality noted, which is 1 in 700 births. Although inheritance may play a role, cleft lip and palate is considered to be of multifactorial etiology, including chemical exposures, radiation, maternal hypoxia, teratogenic drugs, nutritional deficiencies, especially folic acid and cervical vertebral anomalies.Objective: To assess an association between cleft lip and palate and cervical vertebral anomalies.Methodology: The lateral cephalographs of 74 cleft lip and palate patients aged 6- 20yr were traced for cervical spine from C1- C4 on an acetate paper. Cervical vertebral anomalies were recorded and categorized into posterior arch deficiencies and fusion or both.Results: 12.16% of cleft lip and palate patients had cervical vertebral anomalies.Conclusion: The association between cleft lip and palate and cervical vertebral anomalies indicates that cervical vertebral anomalies may be implicated in the etiology of cleft lip and palate. Cervical vertebral anomalies can predispose to further disorders and identification of such anomalies mandates referral to the concerned specialist for appropriate management.