Combined Type II Odontoid Fracture With Axis Anterior Arch Fracture: A Case Report in an Elderly Patient.

Associated fractures of the atlas and axis are frequent, particularly in the elderly patients following a simple low-energy fall. This injury can be easily misdiagnosed on initial plain radiographs, and therefore computed tomography scan is a useful adjunct in patients with a degenerative spine. There is still no consensus as to the optimal treatment of combined axis-atlas fractures, and the majority of authors propose a therapeutic strategy dependent on the odontoid fracture pattern.