Pedicle screw placement in patients with variant atlas pedicle

ObjectiveTo investigate how the anatomy of variant atlas vertebra impacts on the strategy used to place pedicle screws used to treat atlantoaxial instability.MethodsThe study enrolled patients with cervical instability who had a posterior arch pedicle height 5.0 mm. For the vertebral artery groove, the height of the lateral region was significantly greater than that of the medial region. Approximately 60% of atlas vertebrae had lateral heights >3.5 mm (34 of 56). The majority of the posterior arch heights were <3.0 mm. There were no perioperative or postoperative complications observed.ConclusionsPedicle screw placement in the lateral pe...