• BACKGROUND
    • Compare the biomechanical stability of a novel "U" posterior cervical fixation construct to four other posterior cervical atlantoaxial fixation constructs.
  • METHODS
    • Eight fresh frozen human cadaver spines were tested after a simulated odontoid fracture, and following stabilization with each construct.
  • RESULTS
    • All constructs significantly decreased flexion-extension and axial rotation compared to the destabilized spine. The U construct provided significantly more axial stability than the Brooks wire technique.
  • CONCLUSION
    • The novel U construct demonstrated comparable biomechanical stability to the existing constructs in all three planes of motion with the exception of axial rotation, in which it was inferior to TAS.