Surgical strategies in the management of cervical degenerative disorders.

t seems to be agreeable for many of us that in a lateral or oraminal soft-disc protrusion causing cervical radiculopathy at he single level, posterior foraminotomy with removal of a equestrated disc fragment is as good as anterior microdiscecomy and probably less invasive because of fewer complications 6). However in the cases of the lateral discs associated with pondylosis or medial disc protrusion causing usually radiculomylopathy, posterior foraminotomy has a significant risk of surgical ailure and necessitates a second surgery in 8%-14% of the ases (3, 5). Postoperative instability and loss of lordosis after osterior foraminotomy also have been reported, and some ases needed the posterior fusion.