Occipitocervical arthrodesis in children.

A technique for occipitocervical arthrodesis was used in seven patients whose ages ranged from three to thirteen years. The indication for the arthrodesis was occipitocervical instability secondary to various forms of dysplasia. There were no non-unions, and internal fixation was used in only one patient. Six patients were immobilized postoperatively with halo fixation. There was only slight limitation of cervical motion after fusion; we believe that the limitation was due to increased motion in the vertebral segments caudad to the level of fusion. Six patients had full flexion, and only three patients had decreased rotation. We found that, in young patients, occipitocervical arthrodesis by means of the described procedure was both safe and effective.