Rigid bracing in the elderly has been associated with unacceptably high morbidity and mortality 13 and lower rates of fusion, prompting some surgeons to advocate for early surgical intervention. 4, 12 Treatments include cervical collar immobilization, rigid bracing with halo vest, posterior fusion of C1-C2, and anterior fixation with compression screws. The treatment of odontoid fractures depends primarily on fracture pattern, the degree of displacement, and patient age.
3 – 7 These injuries can cause neck pain and cervical instability that put patients at risk for catastrophic spinal cord compromise. 2 The odontoid process is the most common site of fracture in the cervical spine, accounting for 9% to 15% of cervical spine fractures. 1 Fractures of the odontoid process result from forceful flexion or extension of the cervical spine, which commonly occurs in motor vehicle accidents in younger patients or simple falls in the elderly. The odontoid process or dens of the C2 vertebrae restricts translational movements in the most mobile segment of the cervical spine, the C1-C2 complex.
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