Performing the screw fixation from C3 to odontoid process in a patient with Klippel-Feil syndrome and type II odontoid fracture

Abstract

A 56-year-old female patient was admitted with a history of pain during neck movements after cervical injury. Computerized tomography scan revealed type II odontoid fracture and fusion anomaly between C2 and C3 vertebrae. At surgery, the anteroinferior part of C2 vertebra corpus could not be reached; therefore, transodontoid screw was advanced from C3 vertebra toward odontoid process. At follow-up examination, the complaints of the patient had recovered, and fracture line was completely fused. Advancing screw from C3 to odontoid process via anterior cervical approach could be thought an alternative treatment option in the patient with short neck caused from vertebra fusion anomaly and/or obesity.

Keywords

• From C3 to odontoid
• Klippel–Feil syndrome
• odontoid fracture
• transodontoid screw