ABSTRACT
To summarize the clinical results of combined transoral anterior decompression and posterior decompression and internal fixation of irreducible atlantoaxial dislocation with spinal cord compression. 12 cases of irreducible atlantoaxial dislocation with spinal cord compression were operated on with transoral anterior decompression combined with posterior decompression and occipitocervical internal fixation with occipitocervical CD rod or Cervifix. With an average of 20 month follow up, clinical cure rate was evaluated according to Symon and Lavender . Vertebral canal vector diameters in MR were measured. The results showed that the total clinical effective rate was 91.6%, and the remarkable effective rate was 50%. The average improvement rate of vertebral canal decompression was 73.6 %. These results suggest that transoral anterior decompression combined with posterior decompression and internal fixation is more suitable for irreducible atlantoaxial dislocation with spinal cord compression.