[Operation on upper cervical instability without injury].
OBJECTIVE
To study operative methods of treating upper cervical spine instability without injury.


METHODS
Twenty-three cases were treated by internal fixation with autologous bone grafts. Atlantoaxial arthrodesis were performed in 10 cases with interlaminar clamp (5 cases), Atlas cable system (3 cases) and Brooks (2 cases). Occipitocervical fusion were performed in the other 13 cases by using of CD-cervical (3 cases), Cervifix (8 cases) and U-stick fixation (2 cases).


RESULTS
All the 23 cases were followed up for 2. 5 years in average (ranged from 6 months to 5 years). Solid arthrodesis was obtained in all 23 cases. Six months after operation, of the 20 cases with pre-operation nervous lesion, improvement was achieved in 16 cases. According to JOA standard and Hirabashi formula, the rate of improvement was 27.1%.


CONCLUSIONS
Posterior fusion is recommended for upper cervical instability.
Li
Kanghua
K
Department of Orthopaedics, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha Hunan, 410008, PR China. zxlq05@sina.com
Li
Qiang
Q
Deng
Zhansheng
Z
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001268:Atlanto-Axial Joint / Q000601:surgery; D001269:Atlanto-Occipital Joint / Q000601:surgery; D002574:Cervical Vertebrae; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005593:Fracture Fixation, Internal; D006801:Humans; D007593:Joint Instability / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013123:Spinal Fusion / Q000379:methods*; D016896:Treatment Outcome