Cervical disc hernia operations through posterior laminoforaminotomy

Area of Science:

• Neurosurgery
• Spinal Surgery
• Orthopedics

Background:

• Anterior approaches are common for posterolateral cervical disc herniations.
• Posterior cervical laminoforaminotomy is effective for foraminal stenosis in select patients.
• Radiculopathy is a common symptom of cervical disc herniation and spondylosis.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate clinical outcomes of posterior cervical laminoforaminotomy.
• To assess the efficacy of this technique in patients with radiculopathy.
• To compare posterior laminoforaminotomy with anterior approaches for cervical disc herniation.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective evaluation of 35 patients with posterolateral cervical disc herniation and/or spondylosis.
• Patients underwent posterior cervical keyhole laminoforaminotomy between 2010 and 2015.
• Assessment included clinical records and radiographic images.

Main Results:

• Mean patient age was 46.4 years; 19 males, 16 females.
• Radiculopathy was the primary neurologic deficit in all patients.
• 88.5% success rate: 31 patients experienced complete symptom relief; 4 had residual neck pain/paresthesia.

Conclusions:

• Posterior cervical laminoforaminotomy is a suitable alternative for cervical soft disc herniations.
• This technique is also effective for managing cervical stenosis.
• The procedure demonstrated good outcomes without instability or kyphosis.