C1-C2 sagittal Cobb angle

C1-C2 sagittal Cobb angle

Cervical lateral radiograph; b Detail of 36-inch lateral radiograph showing measurements a. Occiput-C2 sagittal Cobb angle, b. Occiput-C7 sagittal Cobb angle, c. C1-C2 sagittal Cobb angle, d. C2-C7 sagittal Cobb angle, e. T1 tilt. Horizontal solid white line: C1-C7 Sagittal Vertical Axis – distance between plumb line dropped from anterior tubercle of C1 and posterior superior corner of C7; Horizontal white dotted line: C2-C7 Sagittal Vertical Axis—distance between plumb line dropped from centroid of C2 and posterior superior corner of C7; White dashed line: Center of Gravity-C7 Sagittal Vertical Axis—distance between plumb line dropped from anterior margin of external auditory meatus and posterior superior corner of C7.


Twenty-three patients who underwent C1 lateral mass screw (LMS)-C2 translaminar screw (TLS) and 29 who underwent C1 LMS-C2 pedicle screw(PS) fixation with ≥ 2 years of follow-up were retrospectively analyzed. Three-planar (sagittal, coronal, and axial) radiographic parameters were measured. Patient-reported outcomes (PROs) including the Neck Disability Index (NDI), Japanese Orthopaedic Association (JOA) score and the Short Form 36 Physical Component Summary (SF-36 PCS) were documented. Factors potentially associated with PROs were identified.

The radiographic parameters significantly changed postoperatively except the C1-2 midlines’ intersection angle in the TLS group (p = 0.073) and posterior atlanto-dens interval in both groups (p = 0.283, p = 0.271, respectively). The difference in bilateral odontoid lateral mass interspaces at last follow-up was better corrected in the TLS group than in the PS group (p = 0.010). Postoperative PROs had significantly improved in both groups (all p < 0.05). Thereinto, NDI at last follow-up was significantly lower in the TLS group compared with PS group (p = 0.013). In addition, blood loss and operative time were obviously lesser in TLS group compared with PS group (p = 0.010, p = 0.004, respectively). Multivariable regression analysis revealed that a change in C1-C2 sagittal Cobb angle was independently correlated to PROs improvement (NDI: β = -0.435, p = 0.003; JOA score: β = 0.111, p = 0.033; SF-36 PCS: β = 1.013, p = 0.024, respectively), also age ≤ 40 years was independently associated with NDI (β = 5.40, p = 0.002).

Three-planar atlantoaxial instability (AAI) should be reconstructed by C1 LMS-C2 PS fixation, while sagittal or coronal AAI could be corrected by C1 LMS-C2 TLS fixation. PROs may improve after atlantoaxial reconstruction in patients with chronic AAI. The C1-2 Cobb angle is an independent predictor of PROs after correcting chronic AAI, as is age ≤ 40 years for postoperative NDI 1).

1)

Pan Z, Xi Y, Huang W, Kim KN, Yi S, Shin DA, Huang K, Chen Y, Huang Z, He D, Ha Y. Independent Correlation of the C1-2 Cobb Angle With Patient-Reported Outcomes After Correcting Chronic Atlantoaxial Instability. Neurospine. 2019 Jun;16(2):267-276. doi: 10.14245/ns.1836268.134. Epub 2019 Jun 30. PubMed PMID: 31261466.

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