Effect of type II odontoid fracture nonunion on outcome among elderly patients treated without surgery: based on the AOSpine North America geriatric odontoid fracture study.
Date
2013-12
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Repository Usage Stats
views
downloads
Citation Stats
Abstract
Study design
Subgroup analysis of a prospective multicenter study.Objective
Outcome analysis of nonoperatively treated elderly patients with type II odontoid fractures, including assessment of consequence of a fracture nonunion.Summary of background data
Odontoid fractures are among the most common fractures in the elderly, and controversy exists regarding treatment.Methods
Subgroup analysis of a prospective multicenter study of elderly patients (≥65 yr) with type II odontoid fracture. Neck Disability Index and Short-Form 36 (SF-36) version 2 were collected at baseline and 6 and 12 months. Fifty-eight (36.5%) of the 159 patients were treated nonoperatively.Results
Of the 58 patients initially treated nonoperatively, 8 died within 90 days and were excluded. Of the remaining 50 patients, 11 (22.0%) developed nonunion, with 7 (63.6%) requiring surgery. Four of the 39 (10.3%) patients classified as having "successful union" required surgery due to late fracture displacement. Thus, 15 (30.0%) patients developed primary or secondary nonunion and 11 (22.0%) required surgery. The overall 12-month mortality was 14.0% (nonunion = 2, union = 5; P= 0.6407). For union and nonunion groups, Neck Disability Index and SF-36 version 2 declined significantly at 12 months compared with preinjury values (P< 0.05), except for SF-36 version 2 Physical Functioning (P= 0.1370). There were no significant differences in outcome parameters based on union status at 12 months (P> 0.05); however, it is important to emphasize that the 12-month outcomes for the nonunion patients reflect the status of the patient after delayed surgical treatment in the majority of these cases.Conclusion
Nonoperative treatment for type II odontoid fracture in the elderly has high rates of nonunion and mortality. Patients with nonunion did not report worse outcomes compared with those who achieved union at 12 months; however, the majority of patients with nonunion required delayed surgical treatment. These findings may prove useful for patients who are not surgical candidates or elect for nonoperative treatment.Level of evidence
2.Type
Department
Description
Provenance
Citation
Permalink
Published Version (Please cite this version)
Publication Info
Smith, Justin S, Christopher K Kepler, Branko Kopjar, James S Harrop, Paul Arnold, Jens R Chapman, Michael G Fehlings, Alexander R Vaccaro, et al. (2013). Effect of type II odontoid fracture nonunion on outcome among elderly patients treated without surgery: based on the AOSpine North America geriatric odontoid fracture study. Spine, 38(26). pp. 2240–2246. 10.1097/brs.0000000000000009 Retrieved from https://hdl.handle.net/10161/28810.
This is constructed from limited available data and may be imprecise. To cite this article, please review & use the official citation provided by the journal.
Collections
Scholars@Duke
Christopher Ignatius Shaffrey
I have more than 25 years of experience treating patients of all ages with spinal disorders. I have had an interest in the management of spinal disorders since starting my medical education. I performed residencies in both orthopaedic surgery and neurosurgery to gain a comprehensive understanding of the entire range of spinal disorders. My goal has been to find innovative ways to manage the range of spinal conditions, straightforward to complex. I have a focus on managing patients with complex spinal disorders. My patient evaluation and management philosophy is to provide engaged, compassionate care that focuses on providing the simplest and least aggressive treatment option for a particular condition. In many cases, non-operative treatment options exist to improve a patient’s symptoms. I have been actively engaged in clinical research to find the best ways to manage spinal disorders in order to achieve better results with fewer complications.
Unless otherwise indicated, scholarly articles published by Duke faculty members are made available here with a CC-BY-NC (Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial) license, as enabled by the Duke Open Access Policy. If you wish to use the materials in ways not already permitted under CC-BY-NC, please consult the copyright owner. Other materials are made available here through the author’s grant of a non-exclusive license to make their work openly accessible.