Abstract I

"Fractures of the Odontoid Process and its surgical approach"

JE Vásquez et al.

Abstract

Fractures of the Odontoid are the most common type of C2 fractures and do not have a consensus treatment, because of that we performed a retrospective study which compares the anterior and posterior approach in the Odontoid Process fracture including: type of fracture, neurological involvement, surgical technique, postoperative management and early follow up of the patients. The data was obtained of the Neurosurgical Department of the Rancagua Regional Hospital database and includes ninety seven patients with dens fracture between June 1998 and August 2009. According to the Anderson and D' Alonzo classification, sixty one of the ninety seven patients had a type II fracture (62,8%), thirthy two (32,9%) a type I and four (4,1%) patients had a combination of a type II fracture plus a fracture of the Atlas. An anterior surgical approach with a cannulated screw was performed for the resolution of the type II fracture, posterior C1-2 transarticular screw fixation with supplemental tension-band fixation was used for the combination of fractures and a conservative management for the rest of them. Only 6% from the total was neurologically impaired before the surgery. The postoperative management consisted in the use of a cervical brase for at least 6 weeks in all cases. Is very important to make an accurate classification of the fracture because in a mayor percentage will decide whether a surgical resolution is needed and which approach is suitable for every case.

Key Words: Odontoid Process, Atlas, Anderson and D' Alonzo classification, canulated screw, cervical brase

Introduction II

Hello everybody, my name is Juan Enrique Vásquez Pedraza, my nickname is kike and I am 27 years old.

I studied medicine at the University of Santiago, i got my degree in December of 2007, since then I am working in a family heathcare center as a general physician in Rancagua. In 2008 I made an intern medicine diploma and a surgery internship for five months, last year I took a postgraduate course about Neurosciences and clinical managment, I also pushished two posters in the Chilean Neurosurgery Congress and one was elected in the first place, the "Spinal Cord injury, comparison of early and late treatment" poster.

Next year i´m gonna apply to neurosurgery internship in this university and I really hope to be selected because I am eager to start my specialization.

In my spare time, i try to do a lot of things because I don`t have much time to waste, that`s why i play tennis at least once a week, specially in summer and squash or racquetball in winter, I also go very often to the cinema.

I think that`s all, good bye.

Introduction

Well, my name is Juan Enrique Vásquez Pedraza, i am 27 years old, everybody calls me kike, i am a medical doctor since two years ago. I studied at the University of Santiago, and i work as a general physician in a family healthcare center in Rancagua, next year i´m gonna apply to neurosurgery internship in this university, in it`s clinical hospital, because i want to become a neurosurgeon specially a cerebral aneurism surgeon.

In my spare time i use to play tennis at least once a week, and in winter i play squash, i also watch a lot of movies with my girlfriend.

Is very important to me to get married and form a family.

that`s all folks, any further questions will be answered every friday from 2 to 6.