ABSTRACT
Objective:To compare the efficacies of 3D-printed navigation template assisted and freehand posterior cervical screw fixation of atlantoaxial fractures.Methods:A retrospective cohort study was used to analyze the clinical data of 22 patients with atlantoaxial fractures admitted to Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology from September 2018 to December 2020. There were 13 males and 9 females, with age range of 26-68 years [(50.7±11.9)years]. All the patients underwent posterior atlantoaxial pedicle screw internal fixation and fusion, among whom 11 patients admitted from November 2019 to December 2020 were assisted with 3D printed navigation templates for the placement of pedicle screws (assisted group) and 11 patients admitted from September 2018 to October 2019 used the traditional way of placing pedicle screws (freehand group). A total of 88 pedicle screws were implanted, with 44 pedicle screws in each group. The operation time, intraoperative blood loss, and intraoperative fluoroscopy frequency were compared between the two groups. The visual analogue score (VAS) and Japanese Orthopedic Society (JOA) score were also compared before operation, at 3 days, 3 months, 6 months postoperatively and at the last follow-up. The accuracy of pedicle screw placement was evaluated according to the Kawaguchi classification, and complications were observed.Results:All the patients were followed up for 24-30 months [(26.4±1.8)months]. The assisted group showed the operation time of (87.3±19.5)minutes and the intraoperative fluoroscopy frequency of (6.4±1.4)times, decreased compared with the freehand group [(115.5±23.0)minutes, (10.3±1.7)times] [(all P<0.01). However, no significant difference was observed in the intraoperative blood loss between the two groups ( P>0.05). Both groups demonstrated comparable VAS and JOA score before operation, at 3 days, 3 months, 6 months postoperatively and at the last follow-up (all P>0.05). Furthermore, the assisted group exhibited a significantly higher accuracy of pedicle screw placement [95.5% (42/44)] compared with the freehand group [79.5% (35/44)] ( P<0.05). Notably, there were no intraoperative vertebral artery injury, spinal cord injury, or cerebrospinal fluid leakage in either group, or internal fixation loosening, fracture, nonunion in either group after operation. Conclusion:Compared with freehand posterior cervical screw placement, 3D-printed navigation template-assisted posterior cervical pedicle screw fixation of atlantoaxial fracture can shorten the operation time, reduce the intraoperative fluoroscopy frequency, and improve the accuracy of screw placement.