Fractures of the odontoid process: 10 cases

ABSTRACT

The fractures of the odontoid process was exceptional, this complications was dramatic. In this retrospective study was about ten cases of fractures of odontoid process, collected at the department of neuro surgery between 1992-1998. The mean age of our patients was 27.4 years old, all patients are males. The highway accident was the most frequent etiology [90%]. The delay of consultation was were 3 days in 40% of the cases. The radiology study shows the existence of 9 cases of fractures type Ill and one case of fracture type according to ANDERSON and ALLONZO classification. The treatment was still orthopaedic in the majority of the cases, the surgery was indicated in the orthopaedic failures or in the primitively instable fracture. The evolution was characterised by the pseudarthrose complications in two patients and two cases was death