Occipitocervical arthrodesis using contoured plate fixation. An early report on a versatile fixation technique.

A simple, inexpensive, and rigid technique for occipitocervical fixation was evaluated in 14 patients with occipitocervical instability. Posterior arthrodeses of the occipitocervical region were performed using pelvic reconstruction plates and screws as internal fixation devices. At follow-up, which averaged 11.7 months, all patients had fused with minimal complications. This versatile technique, readily adapted to complex deformities and extensible for subaxial fixation, was reviewed.