Percutaneous anterior odontoid screw fixation technique - A new instrumentand a cadaveric study

We describe a new instrument and a percutaneous technique for closed anteri or fixation of odontoid fracture. The instrument which we developed consist s of a telescopic tube system. This new instrument and closed fixation tech nique was used in six cadavers with type II odontoid fractures and to two c adavers with an intact odontoid process. Each cadaver underwent satisfactor y placement of the screw to the odontoid with this technique under biplanar scopy control. After this procedure, no serious injury was found in the pa rapharyngeal and neurovascular areas of the necks of the cadavers, in which anatomical dissection along the track of this instrument was performed. Th e instrumentation and the technique as a whole is seen as reliably applicab le for odontoid fracture fixation. Also, we expect to reduce operating time and hospital costs because this system is simple, easily applicable and mi nimally invasive.