title: A comparison of the Gallie technique and casting versus the harms technique for the treatment of odontoid fractures.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The objective of this study was to compare perioperative, clinical parameters, complications, and reoperation rate of the Gallie technique and head-neck-chest plaster with the Harms technique in the treatment of odontoid fractures.
  
  
  METHODS
  A retrospective study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Level I spine center.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fifty-seven patients with odontoid fractures treated either with the Gallie technique and casting or the Harms technique between July 2002 and June 2008.
  
  
  METHODS
  Surgery.
  
  
  METHODS
  At a minimum of 2-year follow-up, comparison of the two groups was conducted in terms of hospital stay, blood loss, operation time, cost of the first admission, total cost, time to fusion, time to return to previous occupation, Japanese Orthopedic Association scores, visual analog scale scores of neck pain, complications (nonunion, delayed union, hardware breakage, wound infection), and reoperation rate.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were no significant differences in terms of hospital stay, time to fusion, Japanese Orthopedic Association scores, neck pain visual analog scale scores, complications, or reoperation rate between the two groups. Blood loss, operation time, cost of the first admission, and total cost were significantly lower in the Gallie group than that in the Harms group. However, the Gallie group took longer to return to previous occupation than the Harms group (P < 0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Management of odontoid fractures by either the Gallie technique and casting or the Harms technique was found to be similar in clinical outcomes. Although the Harms technique was associated with more blood loss, operation time, and cost, the Harms technique was found to be superior to the Gallie technique with casting in terms of time to return to previous occupation.
authors: Department of Orthopaedics, Changzheng Hospital, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, China.
authors: Qiushui
authors: Q
authors: Lin
authors: Xinwei
authors: X
authors: Wang
authors: Xuhui
authors: X
authors: Zhou
authors: Huajiang
authors: H
authors: Chen
authors: Xiaolong
authors: X
authors: Shen
authors: Wen
authors: W
authors: Yuan
authors: Nicholas
authors: N
authors: Tsai
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D016063:Blood Loss, Surgical; D002370:Casts, Surgical / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000191:economics; D005260:Female; D005592:Fracture Fixation / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*; D017102:Fracture Healing; D005599:Fractures, Ununited; D017048:Health Care Costs; D006801:Humans; D007902:Length of Stay; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019547:Neck Pain / Q000209:etiology; D009809:Odontoid Process / Q000293:injuries* / Q000601:surgery; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D012086:Reoperation; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016103:Spinal Fractures / Q000628:therapy*; D013123:Spinal Fusion / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000191:economics / Q000379:methods*; D013530:Surgical Wound Infection; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult