RESEARCH ARTICLE p l m

an m re p tie according to the Anderson and d’Alonso classification patients [8]. Treatment options for displaced odontoid Scheyerer et al. BMC Surgery 2013, 13:54 http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2482/13/54internal fixation are practiced. Following traditionalDepartment of Surgery, Division of Trauma Surgery, University Hospital Zurich, Zurich, Switzerlandare type II fractures (65-74%), which are considered to be relatively unstable [4,5]. The fracture occurs at the base of the odontoid between the level of the transverse ligament and the base of the odontoid process. There is a bimodal population distribution with peaks in early adulthood and in the elderly [6]. In younger fractures are either conservative or surgical. Non-operativ