[Clinical analysis of surgical treatment of odontoid fracture].
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the therapies and clinical outcome for different types of odontoid process fracture.


METHODS
Twenty-one patients with odontoid process fracture were treated with different therapies for different Anderson-D'Alonzo classifications: three cases of type I were treated by traction of occipital-jaw band and fixed with head-neck-chest plaster at 6 weeks; thirteen cases of type II were treated by cannulated screws following skull traction and reduction; and for the cases of type III, one was fixed with screw when the fracture was reduced by skull traction, and four with atlantoaxial pedicle screw.


RESULTS
All cases were followed up for a mean of 9 months (range: 3 - 48). All cases achieved bony union. No post-operative complication was found.


CONCLUSIONS
Odontoid process fracture should be treated according to different types. Conservative treatment for type I fracture and cannulated screws for type II and low type III fracture can obtain a satisfactory outcome. Atlantoaxial pedicle screw should be chosen if the superficial type III fracture is not suitable for cannulated screw.
Tian
Ji-wei
JW
Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Shanghai Jiaotong University Affiliated First Peoples' Hospital, Shanghai 201620, China. tjw609@163.com
Wang
Zhen
Z
Wang
Lei
L
Dong
Shuang-hai
SH
Zhao
Qing-hua
QH
Xia
Tian
T
D000328:Adult; D001268:Atlanto-Axial Joint / Q000293:injuries* / Q000601:surgery*; D001863:Bone Screws; D002574:Cervical Vertebrae; D005260:Female; D005593:Fracture Fixation, Internal / Q000295:instrumentation; D006801:Humans; D016268:Internal Fixators; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009809:Odontoid Process / Q000293:injuries* / Q000601:surgery*; D055815:Young Adult