[Results of the treatment of fracture of the odontoid process of the axis].

At the Rehabilitation Institute in Konstancin there were 80 patients treated due to the fracture of the dens epistrophei within the years 1970-1986. In all the cases the fracture was within the base of the dens. More than 50% of the patients were over 50 years of age at the time of injury. On admission about 34% of patients had neurological disturbances of various degree manifested by paresis of the extremities. The leading cause of spine injury were falls from a height (60%), particularly from a horse-cart. In 55% of cases the injury was through extension mechanism. Surgical treatment was applied in 35 cases (29 cases of posterior fusion of CI-C1I by bone grafting and wire loop, 6 cases of axis dens and vertebral body CI1 fixation by AO screw, by Böhler method). The remaining 45 cases were conservatively treated. The paper presents the radiological results of conservative and surgical treatment as well as an analysis of the neurological recovery.