[Surgical treatment of injuries of the upper cervical spine]

The surgical treatment of instabilities of the upper cervical spine requires the use of differentiated procedures if physiological anatomy is to be largely restored. Successful procedures are diagonal screw fixation of the axis from the anterolateral aspect in the case of odontoid fractures Anderson type II and III (high type), transpedicular screw osteosynthesis of C2 in hangman's fractures, and transarticular screw fixation of C1/2 with posterior fusion for atlantoaxial instabilities. In occipito-atlantal trauma occipitoatlantoaxial fusion is required.