Percutaneous anterior odontoid screw fixation technique. A new instrument and a cadaveric study.

We describe a new instrument and a percutaneous technique for closed anterior fixation of odontoid fracture. The instrument which we developed consists of a telescopic tube system. This new instrument and closed fixation technique was used in six cadavers with type II odontoid fractures and to two cadavers with an intact odontoid process. Each cadaver underwent satisfactory placement of the screw to the odontoid with this technique under biplanar scopy control. After this procedure, no serious injury was found in the parapharyngeal and neurovascular areas of the necks of the cadavers, in which anatomical dissection along the track of this instrument was performed. The instrumentation and the technique as a whole is seen as reliably applicable for odontoid fracture fixation. Also, we expect to reduce operating time and hospital costs because this system is simple, easily applicable and minimally invasive.