title: [Fusion of reconstructed titanic plate, vertebral pedical screws and autogenous granulated cancellous bone graft in posterior occipitocervical region].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To explore the technique of fusing the reconstructed titanic plate, the C2 pedical screws, and the autogenous granulated cancellous bone graft in the occipitocervical region.
  
  
  METHODS
  From April 2002 to January 2005, 19 patients aged 31-67 years with occipitocervical instability underwent the occipitocervical fusion using the reconstructed plate, C2 pedical screws, and autogenous granulated cancellous bone graft. Of the patients, 8 had complex occipitocervical deformity, 8 had old atlantoaxial fracture and dislocation, 2 had rheumatoid arthritis and anterior dislocation of the atlantoaxial joint, and 1 had cancer of the deltoid process of the axis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  No complication occurred during and after operation. The follow-up for an average of 16 months in 19 patients showed that all the patients achieved solid bony fusion in the occipitocervical region. There was no broken plate, broken screw, looseness of the internal fixation or neurovascular injury.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The fixation of the C2 pedical screws with the reconstructed titanic plate is reliable, the insertion is easy, and the autogenous granulated cancellous bone graft has a high fusion rate, thus resulting in a satisfactory effect in the occipitocervical fusion.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedic Surgery, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu Sichuan, 610041, PR China.
authors.forename: Dejun
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Zhong
authors.forename: Yueming
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Song
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001269:Atlanto-Occipital Joint / Q000601:surgery*; D001860:Bone Plates; D001863:Bone Screws; D016025:Bone Transplantation; D002574:Cervical Vertebrae / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005593:Fracture Fixation, Internal; D006801:Humans; D016268:Internal Fixators; D007593:Joint Instability / Q000601:surgery; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013123:Spinal Fusion / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*