The radiological feature of anterior occiput-to-axis screw fixation as it guides the screw trajectory on 3D printed models: a feasibility study on 3D images and 3D printed models.

Anterior occiput-to-axis screw fixation is more suitable than a posterior approach for some patients with a history of posterior surgery. The complex osseous anatomy between the occiput and the axis causes a high risk of injury to neurological and vascular structures, and it is important to have an accurate screw trajectory to guide anterior occiput-to-axis screw fixation. Thirty computed tomography (CT) scans of upper cervical spines were obtained for three-dimensional (3D) reconstruction. Cylinders (1.75 mm radius) were drawn to simulate the trajectory of an anterior occiput-to-axis screw. The imitation screw was adjusted to 4 different angles and measured, as were the values of the maximized anteroposterior width and the left-right width of the occiput (C0) to the C1 and C1 to C2 joints. Then, the 3D models were printed, and an angle guide device was used to introduce the screws into the 3D models referring to the angles calculated from the 3D images. We found the screw angle ranged from α1 (left: 4.99±4.59°; right: 4.28±5.45°) to α2 (left: 20.22±3.61°; right: 19.63±4.94°); on the lateral view, the screw angle ranged from β1 (left: 13.13±4.93°; right: 11.82±5.64°) to β2 (left: 34.86±6.00°; right: 35.01±5.77°). No statistically significant difference was found between the data of the left and right sides. On the 3D printed models, all of the anterior occiput-to-axis screws were successfully introduced, and none of them penetrated outside of the cortex; the mean α4 was 12.00±4.11 (left) and 12.25±4.05 (right), and the mean β4 was 23.44±4.21 (left) and 22.75±4.41 (right). No significant difference was found between α4 and β4 on the 3D printed models and α3 and β3 calculated from the 3D digital images of the left and right sides. Aided with the angle guide device, we could achieve an optimal screw trajectory for anterior occiput-to-axis screw fixation on 3D printed C0 to C2 models.