title: A computed tomography morphometric study of occipital bone and C2 pedicle anatomy for occipital-cervical fusion.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Occipital-cervical fusion (OCF) has been used to treat instability of the occipito-cervical junction and to provide biomechanical stability after decompressive surgery. The specific areas that require detailed morphologic knowledge to prevent technical failures are the thickness of the occipital bone and diameter of the C2 pedicle, as the occipital midline bone and the C2 pedicle have structurally the strongest bone to provide the biomechanical purchase for cranio-cervical instrumentation. The aim of this study was to perform a quantitative morphometric analysis using computed tomography (CT) to determine the variability of the occipital bone thickness and C2 pedicle thickness to optimize screw placement for OCF in a South East Asian population.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty patients undergoing cranio-cervical junction instrumentation during the period 2008-2010 were included. The thickness of the occipital bone and the length and diameter of the C2 pedicle were measured based on CT.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The thickest point on the occipital bone was in the midline with a maximum thickness below the external occipital protuberance of 16.2 mm (±3.0 mm), which was thicker than in the Western population. The average C2 pedicle diameter was 5.3 mm (±2.0 mm). This was smaller than Western population pedicle diameters. The average length of the both pedicles to the midpoint of the C2 vertebral body was 23.5 mm (±3.3 mm on the left and ±2.3 mm on the right).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results of this first study in the South East Asian population should help guide and improve the safety in occipito-cervical region instrumentation. Thus reducing the risk of technical failures and neuro-vascular injury.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, National Neuroscience Institute, Singapore General Hospital, Outram Road, Singapore 169608.
authors.forename: Nicolas K K
authors.initials: NK
authors.lastname: King
authors.affiliation: National Neuroscience Institute, Singapore General Hospital, Outram Road, Singapore 169608 and Gleneagles Hospital, Napier Road, Singapore 258500.
authors.forename: Tiruchelvarayan
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Rajendra
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, National Neuroscience Institute, Singapore General Hospital, Outram Road, Singapore 169608.
authors.forename: Ivan
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Ng
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, National Neuroscience Institute, Singapore General Hospital, Outram Road, Singapore 169608.
authors.forename: Wai Hoe
authors.initials: WH
authors.lastname: Ng
keywords: Cervical pedicle; morphometric study; occipital bone; occipital-cervical fusion