Clinical Results of Microsurgical Anterior Foraminotomy for Cervical Radiculopathy

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: The authors present the clinical and radiologic outcomes of microsurgical anterior foraminotomy in 36 cases of cervival radiculopathy. METHODS: Thirty-six patients were treated with anterior cervical foraminotomy between January 1998 and June 2002. There were 13 men and 23 women(age range, 34-74 years). Twenty-nine had symptomatic soft disc herniation and 7 had uncovertebral osteophytes confirmed by magnetic resonance imaging and computed tomography. Thirty-one patients had single anterior cervical microforaminotomy and five had procedures at adjacent levels. RESULTS: Good or excellent result were obtained in 75% of the patients. On roentgenographic examination, the height of intervertebral space was maintained at twenty-one levels(51%) and was decreased at seventeen levels(42%). Two patients who underwent anterior cervical microforaminotomy developed kyphosis of the cervical spine and one patient developed instability of the cervical spine. CONCLUSION: Anterior cervical foraminotomy appears to be a good alternative procedure for carefully selected patients with unilateral cervical radiculopathy and avoids a fusion of the disc space.