European spine journal : official publication of the European Spine Society, the European Spinal Deformity Society, and the European Section of the Cervical Spine Research Society
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C2 fixation is a demanding procedure, particularly in patients with variants of C1-C2 anatomy. The inferior articular process (IAP) of the axis can be an alternative for screw placement. We report the results of a CT study of C2 IAP anatomy and we present the clinical experience of 28 patients operated with this technique. ⋯ IAP screws can represent a safe alternative option for C2 fixation.
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Software-based planning of a spinal implant inheres in the promise of precision and superior results. The purpose of the study was to analyze the measurement reliability, prognostic value, and scientific use of a surgical planning software in patients receiving anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF). ⋯ The surgical planning software showed high accuracy in the measurement of height differences and lower accuracy values with angle measurements. Both the prognosticated height and angle values were arbitrary. Global ROM, ROM of the fused and intact segments, is restricted after ACDF.