Odontoid fractures

Abstract

Fractures of the odontoid process of the axis comprise 10 to 15% (1) of cervical spine fractures in adults and up to 75% (2) of cervical spine fractures in children. These injuries are common to all age groups. There is a predeliction for upper rather than lower cervical spine injuries in children. In the pediatric population, the atlas and odontoid are secured to the body of the axis and remainder of the lower cervical spine by a thin cartilaginous plate, the basilar sychondrosis. Forces applied to the head tend to disrupt this area more often than other areas (2). Odontoid fractures plague the elderly, often the result of a seemingly trivial fall. High-velocity trauma in the young and middle-aged adult account for upper cervical injuries in this group.