Lateral Mass Screw Fixation Techniques for the Lower Cervical Spine

Lateral mass screws combined with rods are widely used in treating cervical spine diseases, such as ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament, spinal stenosis, trauma, tumor, etc. Although lateral mass screw fixation is not as strong as lateral pedicle screw fixation, surgeons prefer to use it due to its safety and convenience. Several lateral mass screw fixation techniques have been described, among which the most used are Roy-Camille, Magerl, Anderson, and An. In this chapter, we introduce surgical anatomy of the lateral mass and carefully describe how to use the lateral mass screws in lower cervical spine based on Magerl techniques. The entry point, entry angle, and entry depth of lateral mass screws are clearly showed. At the end of the chapter, one clinical case was performed. The patient was diagnosed to have ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament of the cervical spine and cervical spinal stenosis. Decompression and lateral mass screw fixation were done, and after the surgery, the patient got good function.