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Published on: November 8, 2024
Lower cervical spine injury treated with lateral mass plates and pedicle screws through posterior approach
Xue-ling Zhao1, Hong-bin Zhao, Bin Wang
1Department of Orthopaedics, First Affiliated Hospital, Kunming Medical College, Kunming 650032, China. zhaoxuelin@vip.km169.net
Objective:
To treat injury of the lower cervical spine C6 to C7 with cervical lateral mass plates and T1 pedicle screws through posterior approach.
Methods:
The data of 8 patients with lower cervical spine C6 or C7 injury (6 patients with fracture and dislocation in C6 and C7 and 2 with fracture in C7) were analyzed retrospectively in this study. For the preoperative American Spinal Injury Association (ASIA) classification, Grade C was found in 3 cases and Grade D in 5 cases. Screws were placed on the lateral masses and the first thoracic pedicle with Margerl technique. Lamina or facet bone allografting was used to achieve a long-term stability.
Results:
All the 8 patients were followed up for 5-37 months (mean: 15 months). No operative death occurred. There were no examples of aggravation of spinal cord injury or vertebral artery injury, cerebrospinal fluid leak, nerve roots injury, screw malposition or back-out, loose of alignment or implant failure. Clinical symptoms and ASIA classification were improved in all the patients. Postoperative MRI scanning confirmed the satisfactory screw placement in all the cases.
Conclusions:
Lateral mass plates and pedicle screws through posterior approach are safe and beneficial for patients with lower cervical spine C6 or C7 injury.
