BACKGROUND: Atlantoaxial posterior pedicle screw fixation has been widely used for treatment of atlantoaxial instability (AAI). However, precise and safe insertion of atlantoaxial pedicle screws remains challenging. This study presents a modified drill guide template based on a previous template for atlantoaxial pedicle screw placement.

MATERIAL AND METHODS: Our study included 54 patients (34 males and 20 females) with AAI. All the patients underwent posterior atlantoaxial pedicle screw fixation: 25 patients underwent surgery with the use of a modified drill guide template (template group) and 29 patients underwent surgery via the conventional method (conventional group). In the template group, a modified drill guide template was designed for each patient. The modified drill guide template and intraoperative fluoroscopy were used for surgery in the template group, while only intraoperative fluoroscopy was used in the conventional group.

RESULTS: Of the 54 patients, 52 (96.3%) completed the follow-up for more than 12 months. The template group had significantly lower intraoperative fluoroscopy frequency (p<0.001) and higher accuracy of screw insertion (p=0.045) than the conventional group. There were no significant differences in surgical duration, intraoperative blood loss, or improvement of neurological function between the 2 groups (p>0.05).

CONCLUSIONS: Based on the results of this study, it is feasible to use the modified drill guide template for atlantoaxial pedicle screw placement. Using the template can significantly lower the screw malposition rate and the frequency of intraoperative fluoroscopy.

Keywords: Atlanto-Axial Joint, Bone Screws, Computer-Aided Design, Joint Instability