Minimally Invasive Posterior Cervical Discectomy (Foraminotomy)

Cervical foraminotomy is an operation to enlarge the space where a spinal nerve root exits the cervical spinal canal to relieve the symptoms of a "pinched nerve."

Indications for Operation:

Compression of the cervical nerve roots can cause neck pain, stiffness, and pain radiating into the shoulder, arm, and hand, as well as numbness, tingling and/or weakness in the arm and hand. Protruding or ruptured discs, bone spurs, and thickened ligaments or joints can all cause narrowing of the space where the nerve exits the spinal canal and cause the above symptoms. Patients who do not improve with conservative treatment may be candidates for the operation.

What happens afterward? 

 Greater than 95% of patients experience immediate improvement or complete relief of their arm pain after their surgery.  The incisional pain is usually moderate and can be controlled with oral medication so that most patients go home the day of surgery. 

The Operation

Incision

A small incision is made in the back of the neck directly over the affected nerve.  Dilators are passed through the muscle and replaced with a tubular retractor (Metrx).  using a fiberoptic light source and magnified vision, a small opening (laminotomy) is made in the lamina working through the tubular retractor.  The nerve root is decompressed and herniated disc can be removed through the limited exposure.