Abstract
The occipital condyle (OC) screw is an alternative technique for occipitocervical fixation that is especially suitable for revision surgery in patients with Chiari malformation type I (CMI). This study aimed to investigate the feasibility and safety of this technique in patients with CMI. The CT data of 73 CMI patients and 73 healthy controls were retrospectively analyzed. The dimensions of OCs, including length, width, height, sagittal angle, and screw length, were measured in the axial, sagittal, and coronal planes using CT images. The OC available height was measured in the reconstructed oblique parasagittal plane of the trajectory. The mean length, width, and height of OCs in CMI patients were 17.79 ± 2.31mm, 11.20 ± 1.28mm, and 5.87 ± 1.29mm, respectively. All OC dimensions were significantly smaller in CMI patients compared with healthy controls. The mean screw length and sagittal angle were 19.13 ± 1.97mm and 33.94° ± 5.43°, respectively. The mean OC available height was 6.36 ± 1.59mm. According to criteria based on OC available height and width, 52.1% (76/146) of OCs in CMI patients could safely accommodate a 3.5-mm-diameter screw. The OC screw is feasible in approximately half of OCs in CMI patients. Careful morphometric analyses and personalized surgical plans are necessary for the success of this operation in CMI patients.
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
