[The reason and prevention of upper cervical reoperations].
OBJECTIVE
To discuss the reasons for the operation performed on 13 patients with upper cervical disease and to explore the management and prevention of upper cervical disease.


METHODS
Thirteen patients with upper cervical disease were retrospectively reviewed. The reason for of reoperations on these patients were analyzed. The measures to reduce upper cervical operational complication and bad prognosis were discussed to avoid reoperations.


RESULTS
The reasons for reoperations included 9 cases with unstable or re-dislocated atlantoaxial joint, 10 cases with residual spinal cord compression, 1 case with malposition of odontoid screw, 1 case with adjacent cervical spine regression, 1 case with occipital-cervical fusion failure, 1 case with spinal cord injury during operation, 1 case with bone-plant slipped into canales spinalis, and 1 case with demand to take out internal fixation for aggravated symptom.


CONCLUSIONS
The common reasons for upper cervical reoperations were due to instability or redislocation of atlantoaxial joint and residual of spinal cord compression. Some measures such as reducing operate miss, using firm internal fixation and decompressing were advisable to decrease the incidence of reoperations.
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001268:Atlanto-Axial Joint; D002574:Cervical Vertebrae / Q000601:surgery*; D019299:Decompression, Surgical; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007593:Joint Instability / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000601:surgery; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000601:surgery*; D012086:Reoperation / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D013117:Spinal Cord Compression / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000601:surgery; D013123:Spinal Fusion; D055815:Young Adult