Evidence map›Paper›PMID 34559274›Full record

ArticleEuropean spine journal : official publication of the European Spine Society, the European Spinal Deformity Society, and the European Section of the Cervical Spine Research Society2021

Suggestion of a safe zone for C1 pedicle screws depending on anatomical peculiarities.

Maximilian Lenz, Arne Harland, Philipp Egenolf, Akanksha Perera, Lenhard Pennig, Jan Bredow, Peer Eysel, Max Joseph Scheyerer

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Article in 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, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
4citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

4 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Review
  2. Automated scoliosis X-ray cobb angle classification: a deep learning approach with RadImageNet.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 · 2026
    Article
  3. Characteristics and evaluation of C1 posterior arch variation for transpedicular screw placement between patients with and without basilar invagination.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 · 2023
    Article
  4. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors.

Maximilian LenzDepartment for Orthopaedic and Trauma Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, University of Cologne, Joseph-Stelzmann Strasse 24, Kerpener Str. 62, 50931, Cologne, Germany. maximilian.lenz@uk-koeln.de.ORCID 0000-0002-1176-0166
Arne HarlandDepartment for Orthopaedic and Trauma Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, University of Cologne, Joseph-Stelzmann Strasse 24, Kerpener Str. 62, 50931, Cologne, Germany.
Philipp EgenolfDepartment for Orthopaedic and Trauma Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, University of Cologne, Joseph-Stelzmann Strasse 24, Kerpener Str. 62, 50931, Cologne, Germany.
Akanksha PereraDepartment for Orthopaedic and Trauma Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, University of Cologne, Joseph-Stelzmann Strasse 24, Kerpener Str. 62, 50931, Cologne, Germany.
Lenhard PennigInstitute for Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Cologne, Kerpener Strasse 62, 50937, Cologne, Germany.
Jan BredowDepartment for Orthopaedic and Trauma Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, University of Cologne, Joseph-Stelzmann Strasse 24, Kerpener Str. 62, 50931, Cologne, Germany.
Peer EyselDepartment for Orthopaedic and Trauma Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, University of Cologne, Joseph-Stelzmann Strasse 24, Kerpener Str. 62, 50931, Cologne, Germany.
Max Joseph ScheyererDepartment for Orthopaedic and Trauma Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, University of Cologne, Joseph-Stelzmann Strasse 24, Kerpener Str. 62, 50931, Cologne, Germany.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectiveFor surgical treatment of instable upper cervical injuries, the Harms technique using lateral mass screws provides rigid fixation and favourable clinical outcomes. The use of the posterior arch of C1 as a "pedicle" allows for screw anchorage, giving improved biomechanical stability. Therefore, the aim of this study was to introduce a bilateral safe zone for C1 pedicle screws, regarding screw angulation and pedicle height. MATERIAL AND

methodsWe retrospectively reviewed the CT scans of 500 patients. Three-dimensional reformats were generated for detailed measurements. Centre screw entry point (EP), length of lateral mass as screw trajectory, lateral mass width (LMW), length of screw trajectory (ST), maximal divergence (DI) and maximal convergence (CON) from EP without perforation, and pedicle height (PH) of the posterior arch were measured.

resultsThe 500 cases consisted of 335 males and 165 females, with a mean age of 49.5 years. Measurements did not demonstrate significant side-related differences. The mean screw entry point was 22.8 mm from the midline-axis (left 22.6 mm; right 23.0 mm). From this point, a safe zone between 11.6° of divergence and 19.6° of convergence was detected. Measurements of female patients were generally smaller, with significant differences from male patients (p < 0.05). 158 subjects (31.6%) had a PH < 4 mm. DISCUSSION: C1 pedicle screws were feasible in the majority of patients. Proposing a safe zone for screw angulation may provide safety and avoid screw perforation. However, detailed knowledge of the individual C1 anatomy and the preoperative measurement is essential in the operative planning.

Indexed as

Atlanto-Axial JointPedicle ScrewsSpinal FusionCervical VertebraeFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedRetrospective StudiesTomography, X-Ray ComputedC1 pedicle screwsCervical fusionSafe zone

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.