Degenerative cervical spondylosis resulting in cervical radiculopathy or myelopathy can be a significant source of morbidity for patients. Traditional surgical approaches have involved anterior or posterior cervical fusion with decompression; however, these techniques may result in higher cost compared with noninstrumented cases, reduction of spine mobility, and adjacent level disease. Anterior microforaminotomy, first described by Jho in 1996, involves a microdiscectomy and decompression of the cervical spine without arthrodesis. Posterior approaches to the foramina can also be an option. In this chapter, the authors describe the use of lateral disc foraminotomies in the treatment of cervical spine disease. These techniques are mainly for the treatment of cervical radiculopathy without instability or mechanical neck pain. Techniques for both anterior and posterior approaches, including pitfalls and key anatomical landmarks, are described.
Intraoperative Administration of Dexmedetomidine and Dexamethasone in Local Anesthetic Infiltration to Improve Postoperative Pain Control After Posterior Cervical Fusion