Abstract
Posterior lateral mass screws and plates are widely used to stabilize an unstable cervical spine in cases of trauma, postlaminectomy instability, and neoplasm. However, its use in cervical osteomyelitis has rarely been discussed in the literature. Placement of a foreign body in an area of osteomyelitis, though not absolutely contraindicated, may make control of the infection more difficult. Posterior fixation is a method of immobilizing the spine that avoids direct contact with the infected focus. We report a case of C3-4 osteomyelitis with epidural abscess treated by anterior partial corpectomy for debridement and posterior lateral mass plating, followed by six weeks of antibiotics. Because the plates and screws were made of titanium, we were able to perform postoperative MR imaging to evaluate the infection. The patient’s osteomyelitis resolved completely and she had good bone fusion