title: [Os odontoideum].
abstract: Seventeen patients who had os odontoideum were reviewed. Among them occipito-cervical fusion was performed upon 12 patients with atlanto-axial instability. All of them achieved fusion. The patients were followed up for 2 to 16 years and satisfactory results were demonstrated. We consider that surgical treatment is indicated when os odontoideum is combined with atlanto-axial instability.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedics, Changzheng Hospital, Shanghai.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Dai
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Jia
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001268:Atlanto-Axial Joint; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007593:Joint Instability / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009809:Odontoid Process / Q000002:abnormalities* / Q000601:surgery*; D013123:Spinal Fusion