An illustrative manual for general spine surgeons, this text atlas covers all currently available techniques of upper cervical spine and craniovertebral junction reconstruction. All the surgical risks and benefits are discussed and compared with the outcome of more than 300 surgeries of this region. The surgical procedures are demonstrated step-by-step in instructive drawings and illustrations describing the approach, technique of implant introduction and spine reconstruction. A special focus is on realtime and virtual navigation techniques as well as potential complications and their avoidance.

Petr Suchomel is the chairman of the Department of Neurosurgery (Neurocenter) at Liberec Hospital, Liberec, Czech Republic. His main interest is in the whole field of neurosurgery including tumors of central nervous system, vascular neurosurgery; special interest in surgery of spine and spinal cord. He has received a number of distinguished awards and was president of the European Spine Society in 2003.

Anatomy, Biomechanics and Radiology: Surgical Anatomy

Biomechanical Remarks
Special Radiology. Principles of Reconstruction Techniques: Surgical Approaches to Upper Cervical Spine Reconstruction
Basic Principles of Reconstruction Techniques
Specific Techniques of Upper Cervical Spine Reconstruction
Virtual and Real-time Navigational Techniques. Indications for Surgery and Examples of Reconstruction: Trauma of Upper Cervical Spine and Craniovertebral Junction
Posttraumatic Deformity
Non-specific Inflammation
Rheumatoid Arthritis
Tumors
Developmental Deformities
Degenerative Disorders
Surgical Failures.