Chapter Preview Chapter Synopsis The surgical treatment of unilateral cervical radiculopathy with a minimally invasive, microendoscopic technique is reviewed. Important surgical techniques, as well as indications and contraindications, are discussed. Important Points Indications: Unilateral one- or two-level refractory cervical radiculopathy…
Chapter Preview Chapter Synopsis Many techniques have been developed for the surgical management of compressive cervical myelopathy. Laminoplasty is a posterior canal expanding procedure that in selected patients allows for spinal cord decompression, avoids the loss of cervical range of…
Chapter Preview Chapter Synopsis Symptomatic cervical myelopathy from multilevel spinal cord compression in older patients is an increasing clinical problem. Multilevel anterior cervical surgical procedures carry significant morbidity. The posterior cervical approach reduces surgical morbidity. Although laminoplasty is often the…
Chapter Preview Chapter Synopsis This chapter describes in detail the surgical techniques and merits of transcorporeal anterior cervical microforaminotomy for cervical radiculopathy. This procedure involves a modification of the previous anterior microforaminotomy in terms of its medial starting point and…
Chapter Preview Chapter Synopsis The ability for cervical total disk arthroplasty (TDA) to treat specific cervical spine disorders while maintaining cervical motion is now feasible. Although unclear, it appears that cervical TDA may be an effective alternative to anterior cervical…
Chapter Preview Chapter Synopsis Surgical decompression of the neural elements is of paramount importance in all spinal procedures, especially those of cervical myelopathy. Neural compression at the level of the disk space can be addressed by performing anterior cervical diskectomy…
Chapter Preview Chapter Synopsis Anterior cervical diskectomy and fusion (ACDF) comprises a common procedure used to treat cervical radiculopathy and cervical myelopathy. Excellent results can be achieved through careful patient selection and operative technique, which allows for reliable decompressiosn of…
Chapter Preview Chapter Synopsis Partial obstruction of the subarachnoid space can be identified as the underlying cause of syringomyelia in almost all patients: tonsillar descent causes this in Chiari malformation–related syringomyelia, and arachnoid webs or scars are the most common…
Chapter Preview Chapter Synopsis Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) is a disease of unknown origin that is characterized by inflammation of the axial skeleton. It affects the cervical spine in many patients in the late stages of the disease. Cervical spine involvement…
Chapter Preview Chapter Synopsis Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic autoimmune inflammatory polyarthritis that often involves the joints of the upper and subaxial cervical spine. The common spinal manifestations include atlantoaxial subluxation, rheumatoid basilar invagination, and subaxial subluxation. Important Points Selection…