Mortality related to and functional outcomes of upper cervical spine fractures in the elderly.

BACKGROUND: Although the mortality related to hip fracture and osteoporotic vertebral fracture have been reported, few studies have examined the mortality related to atlas and/or axis fractures. The aim of this study was to assess the association between mortality and atlas and/or axis fractures retrospectively and to elucidate the efficacy of surgical treatment. METHODS: A total of 33 elderly patients who were treated for atlas and/or axis fractures at our institution between January 2012 and December 2018 were included in this study. These patients were divided into two groups: surgical treatment and conservative treatment. Fracture types, comorbidities, neurological status, treatment types, and walking ability at follow-up were reviewed. Mortality was assessed using medical records or via phone interviews. RESULTS: The mean age at injury was 79.9 ± 8.0 years, and the mean follow-up period was 2.3 years. The overall mortality rates at 1 and 5 years were 21.4% and 48.4%, respectively. During the observation period, 12 (36%) patients died. Twenty-two patients were treated conservatively (14 were treated with a cervical collar, 8 were treated with a halo vest). Surgical procedures included occipital-cervical fixation, osteosynthesis of C2 fractures, C1-2 fixation, and C1-4 fixation using a posterior approach. Surgical treatment correlated with better survival rates. There was no significant difference between the two groups in terms of ambulatory ability and functional recovery. CONCLUSION: Upper cervical spine fractures appear to have a worse prognosis compared to hip and osteoporotic vertebral fractures. This study indicates the efficacy of surgical treatment for upper cervical spine fractures in the elderly for improving survival prognosis.