Copyright: ©Author(s) 2026. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license. No commercial re-use. See permissions. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc.
World J Orthop. May 18, 2026; 17(5): 119240
Published online May 18, 2026. doi: 10.5312/wjo.v17.i5.119240
Published online May 18, 2026. doi: 10.5312/wjo.v17.i5.119240
Motion preserving fixation of an unstable Jefferson fracture using C1 lateral mass screws and rods: A case report
Hadi Alaa Alhamal, Sarah Alhaddad, Abdulaziz Alzawad, College of Medicine, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, Dammam 34212, Saudi Arabia
Bayan Alsaleh, College of Medicine, Sechenov Medical University, Moscow 119435, Russia
Lina Güneş, Department of Medicine and Surgery, Fakeeh College for Medical Science, Jeddah 23323, Saudi Arabia
Leen Azzam, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, Medical University of Bahrain, Busaiteen 228, Bahrain
Mohammed Alhabib, Ibrahim Alhalal, Hussain Alhamal, Department of Neurosurgery, Qatif Central Hospital, Qatif 32654, Saudi Arabia
Author contributions: Alhamal H, Alhalal I, and Alhabib M involved in patient care; Alhamal HA, Alhamal H, and Alhabib M, Alhaddad S, Alsaleh B, Güneş L, Alzawad A, Azzam L contributed to data collection and interpretation, manuscript drafting and revision, and approved the final version of the manuscript; and all authors contributed to this paper.
AI contribution statement: During the preparation of this work the authors used ChatGPT, OpenAI-version 5.1 in order to solely enhance the grammar, clarity, and readability of the manuscript. After using this tool/service, the authors reviewed and edited the content as needed and take full responsibility for the content of the published article. Additionally, no images in the manuscript were generated by artificial intelligence.
Informed consent statement: Written informed consent was obtained from the patient for publication of this report and any accompanying images.
Conflict-of-interest statement: All authors declare that they have no conflict of interest to disclose.
CARE Checklist (2016) statement: The authors have read the CARE Checklist (2016), and the manuscript was prepared and revised according to the CARE Checklist (2016).
Corresponding author: Hadi Alaa Alhamal, College of Medicine, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, King Faisal Road, Al Rakah, As Safa, Dammam 34212, Saudi Arabia.
Received: February 26, 2026
Revised: February 16, 2026
Accepted: March 18, 2026
Published online: May 18, 2026
Processing time: 116 Days and 14.4 Hours
Revised: February 16, 2026
Accepted: March 18, 2026
Published online: May 18, 2026
Processing time: 116 Days and 14.4 Hours
Core Tip
Core Tip: Unstable Jefferson fractures are traditionally managed with fusion-based techniques that sacrifice atlantoaxial motion. This case report highlights a motion-preserving surgical approach using C1 (atlas) fixation with lateral mass screws and rods, achieving fracture union while maintaining cervical mobility. To our knowledge, this represents the first reported case in Saudi Arabia managed with this technique, providing regional evidence supporting motion-preserving strategies for selected unstable atlas fractures.