Tianjin Medical Journal ›› 2023, Vol. 51 ›› Issue (11): 1262-1266.doi: 10.11958/20220476

• Clinical Research • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Feasibility analysis of small titanium plate fixation through oropharyngeal approach in the treatment of unstable atlas fracture

DUAN Lianhong(), HAN Heng, ZENG Yun, HE Ning()   

  1. Department of Orthopaedics, Sinopharm Dongfeng General Hospital, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan 442008, China
  • Received:2022-11-09 Revised:2023-03-21 Published:2023-11-15 Online:2023-11-07
  • Contact: E-mail:26724601@qq.com

Abstract:

Objective To study the feasibility of small titanium plate fixation through oropharyngeal approach in the treatment of unstable atlas fracture. Methods Sixty-four patients with unstable atlas fracture were selected, of which 30 patients were treated with small titanium plate fixation through oropharyngeal approach were used as the observation group, and 34 patients were treated with posterior atlantoaxial pedicle screw internal fixation were used as the control group. Intraoperative indexes including operation time, blood loss, postoperative indicators, length of hospital stay, occurrence of complications (chronic neck pain, incision infection and dysphagia), visual analogue pain (VAS) score, Japanese Orthopaedic Association (JOA) score before surgery, 1 month after surgery and at the last follow-up and cervical extension, flexion, left and right rotation range of motion were compared between the two groups. Results The operation time and blood loss were significantly lower in the observation group than those in the control group (P<0.05), and there was no significant difference in the length of hospital stay between the two groups. There were no significant differences in the incidence of chronic neck pain, incision infection and dysphagia between the two groups. The VAS score was lower and the JOA score was higher 1 month after surgery and at the last follow-up than those before surgery (P<0.05), and there was no significant difference between the two groups. The extension, flexion, dextral and dextral movements were all increased one month after surgery and at the last follow-up in the two groups (P<0.05). The cervical extension, flexion, left rotation and right rotation of the observation group were higher than those of the control group one month after surgery and the last follow-up (P<0.05). Conclusion The oropharyngeal approach with small titanium plate fixation for unstable atlantic fracture is less invasive and shorter operation time, and can retain cervical spine mobility to the greatest extent than traditional posterior atlantoaxial pedicle screw fixation.

Key words: fracture fixation, internal, cervical atlas, oropharynx, titanium, postoperative period

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