Treatment of type II odontoid fracture with a novel technique: Titanium cable-dragged reduction and cantilever-beam internal fixation

Anterior odontoid screw fixation of a type III odontoid fracture aided by transoral digital manipulation: illustrative case

BACKGROUND

Odontoid process fractures make up 10%-20% of all cervical spine fractures, with type III fractures having a considerable amount of heterogeneity. Most simple type III fractures can be managed nonoperatively. However, 21% of complex type III fractures with significant displacement and angulation are inadequately treated with external immobilization and require surgery. Achieving a reduction via traction can pose a great challenge during intraoperative manipulation, especially when presentation is delayed.

OBSERVATIONS

A 36-year-old male patient, who presented 2 weeks after a motor vehicle crash, had a Glasgow Coma Scale score of 14 and intact motor and sensory function. A craniocervical computed tomograpy scan revealed a normal brain with a type III odontoid fracture. The patient underwent anterior odontoid screw fixation (AOSF) aided by a transoral digital manipulation to achieve a reduction of the irreducible proximal fracture segment at 8 weeks postinjury. The treatment resulted in preserved neurological function and a satisfactory odontoid fracture reduction.

LESSONS

Delayed presentation of a complex type III odontoid fracture can be challenging to treat; however, AOSF with the aid of transoral digital manipulation of the irreducible proximal segment can help to achieve good reduction and fusion with the preservation of neurological function in a young patient. https://thejns.org/doi/10.3171/CASE24294.

Early Outcomes of Bone Autografting in the Bilateral Atlantoaxial Joints Applied in Posterior Fusion Surgery

OBJECTIVE

Cable-dragged reduction and cantilever beam internal fixation can provide promising results in the treatment of atlantoaxial dislocation or instability. However, bilateral atlantoaxial joints bone autografting has not been conducted in this technique. We aim to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of bilateral atlantoaxial joints bone autografting in posterior cable-dragged reduction and cantilever-beam internal fixation.

METHODS

In this retrospective study, we included 14 patients with a minimum 24-month follow-up from December 2019 to September 2020. The granular bone harvested from the iliac crest was packed into the bilateral atlantoaxial joints of 14 patients in posterior cable-dragged reduction and cantilever-beam internal fixation. X-ray imaging and cervical computed tomography (CT) were performed during follow-up. The time required for bone fusion was recorded. The clinical outcomes were evaluated using the JOA scores, NDI, and VAS scores. Mann-Whitney U test, the chi-squared test, or the Fisher exact test were used to compare the two groups regarding patient characteristics, clinical outcomes, bone fusion rates, and cervical sagittal alignment.

RESULTS

The operations were successfully performed in all patients without any intraoperative complications. The mean operation time was (169.64 ± 20.91) minutes, and the intraoperative blood loss was (130.71 ± 33.62) mL. All patients received satisfactory reductions and firm bony fusion at the final follow-up. The fusion rates were 64.29% in the atlantoaxial joints and 21.43% in post bone graft area at 3 months postoperatively, and a significant difference was observed (p = 0.022). Besides, the cervical sagittal alignment in all patients was well maintained in the last follow-up compared to preoperatively. Importantly, a complete bony fusion in the atlantoaxial joints was observed in all patients. Moreover, the JOA, NDI, and VAS scores had improved significantly at the last follow-up.

CONCLUSION

Bone autografting of the bilateral atlantoaxial joints is a safe and effective technique to increase bone fusion rates, shorten bone fusion time, and reduce complication rates when the cable-dragged reduction and cantilever beam internal fixation approach is used. Therefore, it is a cost-effective surgical procedure for treating patients with atlantoaxial dislocation or instability.

Defining and measuring objective and subjective spinal stiffness: a scoping review

PURPOSE

Examine and identify the breadth of definitions and measures of objective and subjective spinal stiffness in the literature, with a focus on clinical implications.

METHODS

A scoping review was conducted to determine what is known about definitions and measures of the specific term of spinal stiffness. Following the framework by Arksey and O'Malley, eligible peer-reviewed studies identified using PubMed, Ebsco health, and Scopus were included if they reported definitions or measures of spinal stiffness. Using a data abstraction form, the studies were classified into four themes: biomechanical, surgical, pathophysiological, and segmental spinal assessment. To identify similarities and differences between studies, sixteen categories were generated.

RESULTS

In total, 2426 records were identified, and 410 met the eligibility criteria. There were 350 measures (132 subjective; 218 objective measures) and 93 indicators of spinal stiffness. The majority of studies (n = 69%) did not define stiffness.

CONCLUSION

This review highlights the breadth of objective and subjective measures that are both clinically and methodologically diverse. There is no consensus regarding a standardised definition of stiffness in the reviewed literature.

Novel In Situ Open Reduction and Fixation of a Displaced Type II Odontoid Fracture

BACKGROUND

Surgical intervention for type II odontoid fractures is a common treatment strategy when conservative management is not appropriate, such as in significantly displaced fractures. However, displaced fractures may not be easily reduced with instrumentation alone. We present a novel technique, using a "bucket-handle" construct to manually reduce a dorsally displaced type II odontoid fracture, in a patient with failure of previously placed dorsal instrumentation.

METHODS

A 63-year-old woman underwent posterior sublaminar wiring and fixation of a type II odontoid fracture at an outside institution. Several weeks later, she presented with graft dislodgement and increased dorsal displacement and angulation of her fractured dens. After removal of her prior instrumentation and placement of segmental instrumentation, a novel construct was created using components from the instrumentation system and was attached to her cervical 2 (C2) screws.

RESULTS

Dorsal traction on the C2 pars interarticularis screws allowed for manual reduction of her fracture via a 3-point bending moment. This reduction was secured with an occiput to C6 fixation and fusion. She is clinically and radiographically stable at 3-months follow-up.

CONCLUSIONS

This novel "bucket-handle" construct, used in conjunction with occipitocervical fusion, allowed safe and durable manual reduction of a dorsally displaced and angulated type II odontoid fracture.

Comparison of clinical and radiological outcomes between modified Gallie graft fusion-wiring technique and posterior cervical screw constructs for Type II odontoid fractures

The aim of this study was to compare clinical and radiological outcomes between modified Gallie graft fusion-wiring technique and posterior cervical screw constructs for Type II odontoid fractures, and hope to provide references in decision making and surgical planning for both spinal surgeons and surgically treated patients.This is a retrospective study. By retrieving the medical records from January 2005 to July 2015 in our hospital, 53 Type II odontoid fracture patients were reviewed. According to the instrumentation type, patients were divided into 2 groups: Wiring group and Screw group. Three categorized factors were analyzed statistically: patient characteristics: age, body mass index, preoperative neurological status, duration, complicated injuries; surgical variables: surgery time, blood loss, vertebral artery injury, spinal cord or nerve root injury, major systemic complications, wound infection, pain at the bone donor area, instrumentation failure, revision rate; and radiographic parameters: preoperative and final follow-up data of C0-2 curvature, C2-7 curvature, C2-C7 sagittal vertical axis, C7 slope, fracture classification, separation, and displacement of odontoid fracture, fusion rate. An additional comparison of surgical outcomes was done, including patient satisfaction, visual analog scale score for neck pain, neck stiffness, medical expense.There was no statistically significant difference between the 2 groups in patient characteristics of age, sex, body mass index, preoperative neurological status, duration, and complicated injuries. No statistically significant difference was noted in surgical variables of blood loss, vertebral artery injury, spinal cord or nerve root injury, major systemic complications, wound infection, bone harvested zone pain, instrumentation failure, revision rate. The surgery time was shorter in Wiring group than that in Screw group, with a statistically significant difference. We noted no significant difference between the 2 groups when comparing radiographic parameters of preoperative and final follow-up data of C0-2 curvature, C2-C7 sagittal vertical axis, fracture classification, the separation and displacement of odontoid fracture, and fusion rate. Although we noted no significant difference in preoperative C2-7 curvature and C7 slope, the final follow-up data showed that C2-7 curvature and C7 slope were smaller in Wiring group than that in Screw group. We noted no significant difference in visual analog scale score, neck stiffness, and neurological status at final follow-up. The medical expense was less in Wiring group; the patient satisfaction was lower in the Wiring group than that in the Screw group.The modified Gallie graft fusion-wiring technique provided solid fusion and stabilization for patients with Type II odontoid fractures, Gallie graft fusion-wiring resulted in less surgery time, less medical expense, but lower patient satisfaction when compared with the posterior cervical screw constructs.