Endoscopic Posterior Cervical Foraminotomy and Discectomy

Area of Science:

• Neurosurgery
• Spinal Surgery
• Minimally Invasive Procedures

Background:

• Cervical radiculopathy can be treated with open posterior cervical foraminotomy or anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF).
• Posterior endoscopic cervical foraminotomy (PECF) is an ultra-minimally invasive technique for neural decompression in cervical radiculopathy.
• PECF demonstrates excellent clinical outcomes, short hospital stays, and low postoperative pain.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe the technique and rationale for posterior endoscopic cervical foraminotomy (PECF).
• To compare PECF with alternative surgical options for cervical radiculopathy.
• To highlight the advantages of PECF in terms of invasiveness and patient recovery.

Main Methods:

• Procedure performed prone under general anesthesia with fluoroscopic guidance.
• Sequential dilators create a working canal for endoscope insertion.
• Resection of lamina and inferior/superior articular processes for neural decompression.

Main Results:

• PECF achieves successful neural decompression with minimal soft-tissue dissection.
• Technique preserves range of motion and disc height.
• Uniportal endoscopy shows shortest length of stay and lowest complication rates.

Conclusions:

• Posterior endoscopic cervical foraminotomy is an effective treatment for cervical radiculopathy.
• It offers advantages over open procedures and ACDF, including reduced invasiveness and faster recovery.
• PECF does not compromise future anterior surgical options if needed.