Occasionally, the atlantooccipital membrane may be partially ossified, resulting in an apparent bone fragment posterior to the superior articular process. This should not be confused with a fracture of the atlas or occipital condyle (Figs. 8A and 8B).
Belinda Childs, MN, ARNP, BC-ADM, CDE, responds. Skin abscesses, also known as boils, are more common in people with uncontrolled diabetes. They are usually caused by bacteria, typically Staphylococcus aureus or Streptococcus, but the abscesses can also be caused by other bacteria.
Diabetic skin complications, including blisters, are a result of nerve damage, blood vessel damage or dehydration from chronic high blood glucose. Also known as bullosis diabeticorum or diabetic bullae, the blisters usually appear on the legs and arms. Unlike the commonly occurring skin blisters, diabetic blisters do not leave any mark or scar when they disappear. [Read: 5 Steps of Body Care for Diabetes] There is no known cause of diabetic blisters.