Common Things That You Should Know About The Occipital Fusion And The Occipital Cervical Plate

The advancement of technology and improved construct stability in occipital cervical fixation have enabled the treatment of more complicated crania cervical instabilities with a greater success rate and less burdensome postoperative immobilization. Initial on-lay fusion and basic wire method necessitated traction followed by a halo. Rod and wire constructions were more stable, but they still struggled to prevent axial stresses caused by the rods pistoling through the sub-laminar wires.

Occipital Cervical Plate and screw constructions were the first fully stable forms of occipital cervical fixation, although they relied on onset hole-hole lengths in the plate, making accurate screw insertion problematic at times. Furthermore, the screw is not firmly connected to the plate in these devices. Modern screw-rod systems allow for autonomous screw anchor insertion as well as a secure connection to the longitudinal rod.

Firstly, What Is Occipital Fusion

Occipital cervical fusion (OCF) is a surgical technique used to treat a range of crania vertebral junction (CVJ) disorders including infective, traumatic, neoplastic, inflammatory, degenerative, and congenital. The occipital bone is a trapezoidal-shaped bone found at the highest point of the neck in the rear part of the cranium (head). The cervical spine is the group of vertebrae that runs through the neck.



The occipital-cervical fusion stabilizes the occipital bone-cervical spine connection. In the fused area of the spine, fixation devices such as screws and/or bone transplants may be employed. The major goal of this fusion is to keep an unstable joint from injuring the important brain regions at the base of the skull or the spinal cord.

Surgical Indications

Occipital cervical spine fusion may be suggested to treat misalignment of the vertebrae, herniated discs, arthritis, tumor, deformities, and infection, as well as to stabilize injuries and avoid fracture and spinal cord injury. The following are the most prevalent reasons for occipital cervical fusion:

  • Basilar invagination (enfolding) is a craniovertebral junction developmental condition.
  • Compressive myelopathy is characterized by improper compression of the Spinal Implants cord as a result of neurological abnormalities.
  • Instability at the occipital-atlantoaxial segment, which connects the first and second cervical vertebrae.

Surgical Position And Exposure

The patient is prone and has a Mayfield pin headrest. It is important to pay close attention to intraoperative posture to avoid occipital cervical kyphosis. The vertebral artery comes from the transverse foramen of the atlas and runs medially on the superior surface of the posterior ring's anterior part. Dissection should not reach more than 12mm lateral to the midline on the cephalic aspect of the posterior side of C1.

Tips For Quick Recovery After Occipital Cervical Plate Surgery

You will be transported to the recovery area, where your nurse will closely monitor your vital signs and look for any allergic/anesthetic responses. Most patients will need to stay in the hospital for two to three days before being sent home. In the cervical spine region, you may suffer pain, inflammation, and discomfort. As needed, pain and anti-inflammatory medicines are administered. For a few weeks, you will be fitted with a cervical collar to provide neck support, comfort, and pain reduction.

Moving around in bed is widely advised to reduce the risk of blood clots. Maintain a clean and dry surgery site. Bathing and surgery site care instructions will be provided. Smoking and drinking should be avoided for a certain amount of time since they might have a detrimental impact on the healing process. Until the first follow-up appointment, avoid vigorous activity and lifting anything heavier than 5 pounds. Housework, yard work, gardening, mowing, and other activities fall under this category. 

Key Takeaways

These are the most common things that a patient must know about the Occipital Fusion. Choosing the best Doctor is the very first thing for the surgery, but you must also ensure they use the perfect Occipital Cervical Plate. Request your doc to view MJ Surgical products as we are the best and leading surgical equipment manufacturer. 

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