Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40033720›Full record

ArticleAsian spine journal2025

More postoperative complications and revision surgery after occipitocervical fusion than after atlantoaxial fusion: a retrospective multicenter cohort study.

Koji Uotani, Angel Oscar Paz Flores, Masato Tanaka, Shashank J Ekade, Shinya Arataki, Tadashi Komatsubara, Yoshiaki Oda, Kensuke Shinohara, Toshifumi Ozaki

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Asian spine journal, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

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2citing papers in PubMed
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1 · What the graph read from it

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2 · The registry

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3 · Its place in the literature

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2 citing papers in PubMed.

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4 · The record

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5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

9 authors.

Koji UotaniDepartment of Orthopaedic Surgery, Okayama Rosai Hospital, Okayama, Japan.
Angel Oscar Paz FloresDepartment of Orthopaedic Surgery, Okayama Rosai Hospital, Okayama, Japan.
Masato TanakaDepartment of Orthopaedic Surgery, Okayama Rosai Hospital, Okayama, Japan.
Shashank J EkadeDepartment of Orthopaedic Surgery, Okayama Rosai Hospital, Okayama, Japan.
Shinya AratakiDepartment of Orthopaedic Surgery, Okayama Rosai Hospital, Okayama, Japan.
Tadashi KomatsubaraDepartment of Orthopaedic Surgery, Okayama Rosai Hospital, Okayama, Japan.
Yoshiaki OdaDepartment of Orthopaedic Surgery, Okayama University Hospital, Okayama, Japan.
Kensuke ShinoharaDepartment of Orthopaedic Surgery, Okayama University Hospital, Okayama, Japan.
Toshifumi OzakiDepartment of Orthopaedic Surgery, Okayama University Hospital, Okayama, Japan.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

STUDY

designA retrospective multicenter cohort study. PURPOSE: We sought to determine whether occipitocervical (OC) fusion is followed by more postoperative complications and revision surgery than is atlantoaxial (AA) fusion. We aim to compare postoperative complications and revision surgery associated with OC fusion and AA fusion. OVERVIEW OF LITERATURE: OC and AA fusion are established techniques for restoring upper cervical stability. However, the outcomes of the two methods have not been compared.

methodsThis study included 90 patients who underwent upper spinal fusion surgery for mechanical instability, performed by three surgeons in two hospitals from 2011 to 2023; OC fusion was indicated for irreducible AA subluxation, os odontoideum, and severe upper C1 fracture. Of the patients, 38 (mean age, 58.7 years) underwent OC fusion, and 52 (mean age, 62.8 years) underwent AA fusion. To evaluate surgical outcomes, we documented surgical time, intraoperative blood loss, postoperative complications, and the rate of revision surgery. Radiographs were obtained to identify screw malposition, rod breakage, and nonunion. To compare the outcomes of the two techniques, we used the Mann-Whitney U test for continuous variables and the chi-square or Fisher's exact test for dichotomous variables.

resultsOC fusion took significantly longer (175.4 minutes) than AA fusion (150.7 minutes, p=0.020) and had a higher complication rate (39.5% vs. 11.5%, p <0.0001). The reoperation rate was 23.7% (9/38) after OC fusion and 3.8% (2/52) after AA fusion; the difference was statistically significant (p=0.0073). Average amounts of blood loss were 224 mL during OC fusion and 224 mL during AA fusion; the difference was not significant (p=0.947).

conclusionsAlthough OC fusion is indispensable for certain conditions, particularly basilar invagination, it entails more risk than dose AA fusion; the choice of technique thus warrants careful consideration.

Indexed as

Atlantoaxial fusionOccipitocervical fusionReoperationSurgical complicationUpper cervical instability

Identifiers

PMID40033720
PMCPMC12242266

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