title: [Treatment of complex crainocervical junction malformation by transoccipito-cervical posterolateral approach].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To report the treatment of six patients suffering from complex craniocervical junction (CCJ) malformation by transoccipitocervical posterolateral approach which is a new surgical method.
  
  
  METHODS
  Transoccipitocervical posterolateral approach was confirmed feasible by anatomy of the body. Diagnosis was made sure CT-three dimensional image and MRI for every patient. All cases reaived odontoidectomy and suboccipital decompression and/or bone graft.
  
  
  RESULTS
  All patients showed favorable outcome without deterioration or recurrence. Six patients were followed up for 15 - 10 months. All patients showed marked progressive improvement of neurological disturbances and three of them resumed work half a year after operation.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Transoccipitocervical posterolateral approach is a new surgical procedure by which anterior and posterior decompression of foramen magnun aria and bone graft (posterior craniocervical stabilization) could be fulfilled during one operation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, First University Hospital, West China University of Medical Sciences, Chengdu 610041.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Song
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Yi
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Mao
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: You
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Gao
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001269:Atlanto-Occipital Joint / Q000002:abnormalities* / Q000601:surgery*; D019299:Decompression, Surgical; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D004204:Joint Dislocations / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009809:Odontoid Process / Q000601:surgery*