Dr. Osborn has performed over a thousand spine surgeries during his 20+ year career. While he formerly had a predominantly degenerative practice (i.e., disc herniations and other arthritic conditions), Dr. Osborn’s current spine practice is limited to the management of fractures and spinal cord injuries. These typically occur as a result of high-speed motor vehicle accidents and falls.
The illustrative case is a patient who presented to a local trauma center after a severe motorcycle crash after which he was rendered unconscious. The patient underwent routine imaging of the brain and spine and was discovered to have a posteriorly displaced type II odontoid fracture. Initial management with on-table reduction and halo placement failed, and the patient was deemed an open surgical candidate in light of the degree of spinal canal stenosis (narrowing) appreciated on the MRI.
Dr. Osborn performed a posterior C1/2 fusion with C1 lateral mass screws and C2 pedicle (pars interarticularis) screws under evoked potential monitoring. The patient was maintained in a rigid collar for 12 weeks postoperatively. He continues to fare well and is neurologically normal. He was returning to his normal lifestyle at the time of his last office visit.