Efficacy of posterior atlantoaxial joint release in treating craniovertebral junction deformity combined with atlantoaxial instability / 西安交通大学学报(医学版)

ABSTRACT

【Objective】 To evaluate the curative effect of posterior atlantoaxial joint release and internal fixation in treating unstable craniocervical junction malformation （UCVJM）. 【Methods】 This study retrospectively enrolled 31 patients with UCVJM， who received posterior atlantoaxial joint release and internal fixation between January 2015 and December 2018. The pre- and postoperative changes of the Japanese Orthopaedic Association （JOA） scores， the cervicomedullary angle （CMA）， the atlantodental interval （ADI） and the height above the Chamberlain line of the odontoid （H） were traced to evaluate whether clinical symptoms， compression of spinal cord， horizontal and vertical dislocation of atlantoaxial were improved postoperatively. 【Results】 The average operation duration， bleeding during operation and the average days of hospitalization were （168.38±38.21）min， （147.09±59.84）mL， and （9.54±2.81） days， respectively. None of the patients had vertebral artery or spinal cord injury during operation. JOA score， ADI， H， and CMA were （11.94±1.37） points， （2.72±1.08）mm， （3.03±0.78）mm， and （145.35±8.00）° respectively on the 6th days after operation compared with the preoperative （9.94±1.26） points， （4.96±1.60）mm， （6.89±1.36） mm and （122.16±9.58）°， with statistical differences， which indicated all indexes were improved （all P<0.001）. During 6-25 months’ follow-up， there was no internal fixation looseness or displacement and JOA score was increased to （13.16±1.19） for all the patients in the last follow-up （all P<0.001）. 【Conclusion】 The posterior atlantoaxial joint release combined with internal fixation is safe and effective for patients with UCVJM.