title: Nuances of occipitocervical fixation.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To describe the indications and techniques for occipitocervical (OC) fixation.
  
  
  METHODS
  The operative nuances of current OC fixation techniques are described. A surgical technique video is included.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Pertinent literature is reviewed regarding OC fixation techniques.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  OC fixation systems have evolved from wire and cable techniques to plates, rods, and screws. Screw-rod constructs are easy to implant and biomechanically more rigid than wire techniques.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California 94143-0112, USA.
authors.forename: Daniel C
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.forename: Andrew C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Roeser
authors.forename: Valli P
authors.initials: VP
authors.lastname: Mummaneni
authors.forename: Praveen V
authors.initials: PV
authors.lastname: Mummaneni
mesh_terms: D001268:Atlanto-Axial Joint / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D001269:Atlanto-Occipital Joint / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000601:surgery*; D001270:Cervical Atlas / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D016268:Internal Fixators / Q000592:standards; D007593:Joint Instability / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D009777:Occipital Bone / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000601:surgery*; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D016059:Range of Motion, Articular / Q000502:physiology; D019291:Skull Base / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000601:surgery*; D013123:Spinal Fusion / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods*