Biomechanical study of atlantoaxial arthrodesis: transarticular screw fixation versus modified Brooks posterior wiring.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of the present study was to compare the biomechanical stability of C1 and C2 vertebrae after treatment of ligamentous instability by either modified Brooks posterior wiring (MB) or transarticular screw (TAS) techniques. We hypothesized that the TAS technique would be more stable because of direct fixation through the facet joints. STUDY DESIGN: We studied the in vitro stability (arthrodesis) of TAS fixation of C1 and C2 versus that of MB. TAS fixation involves placing screws across the facets from posteriorly at C2 to the anterior surface of C1, plus a bone graft and posterior wiring of C1 and C2. METHODS: Cervical spines from nine individuals with an average age of sixty-two years (range 51 to 71 years) were harvested from cadavers (six male, three female). C1 and the segment from C2 to C5 were potted to allow motion only at the C1-C2 articulation. The specimens were destabilized by cutting the transverse ligament on both sides of the odontoid and the tectorial membrane between C1 and C2. The MB and TAS techniques were performed by methods similar to those described in the literature. The stiffness of the C1-C2 articulation of each specimen was tested under rotation, lateral bending, flexion, and anterior translation in random order. Intact and destabilized specimens fixed with either MB or TAS were tested in sequence. RESULTS: Significantly higher stiffness values in the elastic zone were obtained with the TAS technique than with the MB technique for all modes of testing (p < 0.002, t test). Values for the neutral zone (the region where minimal loads produce displacement) were not significantly different between the MB and TAS techniques (p > 0.1, t test). CONCLUSION: We conclude that stability is significantly enhanced by use of the TAS construct for treatment of ligamentous instability at the atlantoaxial joint for all motions tested in the present study.