Résumé
Twenty patients having one level posterolateral disc with unilateral cervical radiculopathy were surgically treated through anterior cervical discectomy without fusion and posterolateral foraminotomy for decompression of affected-nerve root. The age of patients ranged from 33 to 68 years [average age46.6 years] 12 males constituted 60% of the series The main symptoms and signs were radicular pain [100%] neck pain, and hypothesia. The most common affected level was found at C5-6 in 8 patients [40%]. Anterior cervical discectomy-performed for 10 patients and posterolateral foraminotomy was performed for another 10 patients. The follow up period ranged from 3 months to 2 years the overall outcome was good to in excellent in 95%. In patients operated by interior cervical discectomy without fusion good and excellent outcome was found in 100%, and patients operated by posterolateral foraminotomy, good and excellent outcome was found in 90% and fair outcome in 10%. However the posterolateral foraminotomy technique is a simple, takes a short time, and avoid major complications which may occur in anterior approach, like injury of trachea, oesophagus, and recurrent laryngeal nerve, also the patients stay in the hospital for a very short time and no need for postoperative immobilization