Acta chirurgiae orthopaedicae et traumatologiae Cechoslovaca
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PURPOSE OF THE STUDY The conservative treatment of an odontoid fracture with immobilization in a halo-vest or collar often results in pseudoarthrosis. Therefore, surgical treatment is preferred, and the Magerl-Böhler anterior osteosynthesis of the C2 dens is one of the options for achieving good bony union. The aim of this study was to show that the success of reducing an odontoid fracture is related to the direction of fracture lines and that of displacement, and that anterior osteosynthesis of the C2 dens provides sufficient stability when fixed either with one or two screws. ⋯ CONCLUSION The anterior osteosynthesis of odontoid fractures was successful even in the patients in whom the fracture could not be sufficiently reduced. Union was achieved in all cases even though some fractures became displaced during bone healing and osteosynthesis therefore was not stable. Displacement and more difficult reduction were recorded more frequently in type A than in type B and C fractures.