Experience of posterior surgery in atlanto-axial instability.
Twenty patients with atlanto-axial instability treated by posterior spinal fusion were reviewed. Patients with atlanto-axial instability due to congenital causes usually presented late with chronic myelopathy and treatment in these patients was associated with poor surgical results. Atlanto-axial fusion for fracture non-unions offers immediate stability, reliability, few complications, and good range of neck movement after surgery. Occipito-cervical fusion is indicated whenever atlanto-axial fusion is surgically not feasible.
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001268:Atlanto-Axial Joint / Q000002:abnormalities / Q000601:surgery*; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007593:Joint Instability / Q000151:congenital / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000209:etiology; D011782:Quadriplegia / Q000209:etiology; D013123:Spinal Fusion / Q000379:methods*