title: Clinical outcome of modified cervical lateral mass screw fixation technique.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was 1) to analyze clinically-executed cervical lateral mass screw fixation by the Kim's technique as suggested in the previous morphometric and cadaveric study and 2) to examine various complications and bicortical purchase that are important for b-one fusion.
  
  
  METHODS
  A retrospective study was done on the charts, operative records, radiographs, and clinical follow up of thirty-nine patients. One hundred and seventy-eight lateral mass screws were analyzed. The spinal nerve injury, violation of the facet joint, vertebral artery injury, and the bicortical purchases were examined at each lateral mass.
  
  
  RESULTS
  All thirty-nine patients received instrumentations with poly axial screws and rod systems, in which one hundred and seventy-eight screws in total. No vertebral artery injury or nerve root injury were observed. Sixteen facet joint violations were observed (9.0%). Bicortical purchases were achieved on one hundred and fifty-six (87.6%). Bone fusion was achieved in all patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The advantages of the Kim's technique are that it is performed by using given anatomical structures and that the complication rate is as low as those of other known techniques. The Kim's technique can be performed easily and safely without fluoroscopic assistance for the treatment of many cervical diseases.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Catholic University of Daegu School of Medicine, Daegu, Korea.
authors.forename: Seong-Hwan
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Won-Deog
authors.initials: WD
authors.lastname: Seo
authors.forename: Ki-Hong
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Hyung-Tae
authors.initials: HT
authors.lastname: Yeo
authors.forename: Gi-Hwan
authors.initials: GH
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.forename: Dae-Hyun
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Kim
keywords: Cervical vertebra; Complication; Kim's technique; Lateral mass screw