title: Salvage of a failed odontoid screw.
abstract: Complications associated with anterior odontoid screw fixation, although not very common can be quite troublesome. We report a patient with early back-out of the implanted screw and its salvage with re-implantation of a longer screw.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, The Medical Center of Central Georgia, Mercer University, School of Medicine, Macon, GA 31201, USA.
authors.forename: Kostas N
authors.initials: KN
authors.lastname: Fountas
authors.forename: Eftychia Z
authors.initials: EZ
authors.lastname: Kapsalaki
authors.forename: Theofilos G
authors.initials: TG
authors.lastname: Machinis
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Liipfert
authors.forename: Hugh F
authors.initials: HF
authors.lastname: Smisson
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001863:Bone Screws / Q000009:adverse effects*; D006801:Humans; D016268:Internal Fixators / Q000009:adverse effects*; D008297:Male; D009809:Odontoid Process; D016103:Spinal Fractures / Q000601:surgery; D016896:Treatment Outcome