Ambulatory uniportal versus biportal endoscopic unilateral laminotomy with bilateral decompression for lumbar spinal stenosis-cohort study using a prospective registry.

BACKGROUND: Endoscopic spine surgery has been established as a practical, minimally invasive technique for decompression in patients with lumbar spinal stenosis. However, there remains a paucity of studies prospective cohort study comparing uniportal lumbar endoscopic unilateral laminotomy with bilateral decompression and unilateral biportal endoscopic unilateral laminotomy with bilateral decompression with open spinal decompression-both viable techniques with satisfactory clinical outcomes in the treatment of lumbar spinal stenosis. OBJECTIVE/AIM: To compare the efficacy of UPE and BPE lumbar decompression surgery for patients with lumbar spinal stenosis. METHODS: A prospective registry of patients who had undergone spinal decompression for lumbar stenosis via UPE or BPE under a single fellowship trained spine surgeon was studied. Baseline characteristics, initial clinical presentation, and operative details including complications were recorded for all included patients. Clinical outcomes, such as visual analogue scale and Oswestry Disability Index, were recorded at preoperative, immediate postoperative, 2-week, 3-, 6-, and 12-month follow-up periods. RESULTS: A total of 62 patients underwent endoscopic decompression surgery for lumbar spinal stenosis (29 UPE, 33 BPE). No significant baseline differences were found between uniportal and biportal decompression, when comparing operative duration (130 vs. 140 min; p = 0.30), intraoperative blood loss (5.4 vs. 6mLs; p = 0.05), and length of hospital stay (23.6 vs. 20.3 h; p = 0.35). Two patients (7%) who underwent uniportal endoscopic decompression required conversion to open surgery due to inadequate decompression. Intraoperative complication rates were significantly higher in the UPE group (13.4% vs. 0%, p < 0.05). VAS score (leg & back) and ODI improved significantly (p < 0.001) in both endoscopic decompression groups across all follow-up time points, with no appreciable statistical differences between both groups. CONCLUSION: UPE has the same efficacy as BPE in the treatment of lumbar spinal stenosis. While UPE surgery enjoys added aesthetic benefits of only one wound, BPE had potentially lower risks of intraoperative complication, inadequate decompression, and conversion to open surgery during early period of learning curve.

Clinical and Radiological Outcomes of a Comparative Study of Anterior Cervical Decompression and Fusion with Partial Pediculotomy, Partial Vertebrotomy (PPPV) Posterior Endoscopic Cervical Decompression (PECD) for Cervical Foraminal Pathology.

Background and Objectives: The purpose was to compaSre medium-term clinical and radiological outcomes of Partial Pediculotomy, Partial Vertebrotomy (PPPV) Posterior Endoscopic Cervical Decompression (PECD) surgery versus Anterior Cervical Discectomy and Fusion (ACDF) for patients with cervical disc herniations and foraminal pathologies. Materials and Methods: A prospective registry of patients who had undergone either PPPV PECD surgery or ACDF surgery for cervical disc herniation or foraminal pathologies under a single fellowship-trained spine surgeon was performed. The baseline characteristics and operative details including complications were recorded for all included patients. The clinical outcomes evaluated include VAS, MJOA, motor score, and NDI and MacNab's score. The radiological parameters in neutral-measured facet length, facet area, disc height, C2-C7 angle, neck tilt angle, T1 slope and thoracic inlet angle were also evaluated. Results: A total of 55 patients (29 PPPV PECD, 26 ACDF) were included, with mean follow-up periods of 21.9 and 32.3 months, respectively. Each cohort was noted to have a single case of surgical complication. Statistically significant changes of facet area (49.05 ± 14.50%) and facet length (52.71 ± 15.11%) were noted in the PPPV PECD group. At neutral alignment of the neck on a lateral X-ray, compared to ACDF, PPPV PECD had a statistically significant change in neck tilt angle (-11.68 ± 17.35°) and T1 slope angle (-11.69 ± 19.58°). Whilst both PPPV PECD and ACDF had significant improvements in VAS, MJOA and NDI postoperatively, PPPV PECD was found to be superior across all above scores at various follow-up timepoints compared to its ACDF counterparts. Conclusions: PPPV PECD surgery achieved a satisfactory radiological correction of neck alignment and significantly improved clinical outcomes at medium-term follow-up for our cohort of patients, highlighting its feasibility in treating patients with cervical disc herniations and foraminal pathologies.

Largest neurosurgical social media group and its impact on communication and research.

BACKGROUND: The use of social media to communicate and disseminate knowledge has increased exponentially, especially in the field of neurosurgery. 'Neurosurgery cocktail' (NC) was developed by a group of young neurosurgeons as a means of sharing didactic materials and clinical experiences via social media. It connects 35.000 neurosurgeons worldwide on multiple platforms, primarily Facebook and Twitter. Given the rising utilization of social media in neurosurgery, the popularity of NC has also increased since its inception. In this study, the authors surveyed the social media analytics of NC for both Facebook and Twitter. Besides, we reviewed the literature on the use of social media in neurosurgery. METHODS: Facebook and Twitter metrics were extracted through each respective platform's analytics tools from December 2020 (earliest available date for data analysis) through January 2021. A literature search was conducted using PubMed (MEDLINE) and Scopus databases. RESULTS: On Facebook, as of January 2021, the group had a total of 25.590 members (87.6% male), most commonly (29%) between 35 and 44 years of age with over 100 countries were represented. As of January 2021, they had amassed 6457 followers on Twitter. During the last 28 d between December 2020 and January 2021, the account published 65 tweets that garnered a total of 196,900 impressions. Twelve articles were identified in our literature review on the use of social media within the neurosurgical community. CONCLUSIONS: NC is one of the most widely utilized neurosurgical social media resources available. Sharing knowledge has been broadened thanks to the recent social media evolution, and NC has become a leading player in disseminating neurosurgical knowledge.

Posterior endoscopic cervical foramiotomy and discectomy: clinical and radiological computer tomography evaluation on the bony effect of decompression with 2 years follow-up.

PURPOSE: Cervical radiculopathy is a common disabling cervical spine condition. Open anterior and posterior approaches are the conventional surgical treatment approaches with good clinical outcomes. However, the soft tissue damage in these procedures can lead to increase perioperative morbidity. Endoscopic spine surgery provides more soft tissue preservation than conventional approaches. We investigate the radiological and clinical outcomes of posterior endoscopic cervical foraminotomy and discectomy. METHODS: A prospective clinical and radiological study with retrospective evaluation were done for 25 patients with 29 levels of cervical radiculopathy who underwent posterior endoscopic cervical discectomy from November 2016 to December 2018. Clinical outcomes of Visual Analogue Scale, Neck Disability Index and MacNab's score were evaluated at pre-operative, post-operative 1 week, 3 months and final follow-up. Preoperative and post-operative final follow-up flexion and extension roentgenogram were evaluated for cervical stability assessment. Pre-operative and post-operative computer tomography cervical spine evaluation of foraminal length in ventro-dorsal, cephalad-caudal dimensions, sagittal foraminal area and using 3D CT reconstruction coronal decompression area were done. RESULTS: Twenty-nine levels of cervical radiculopathy underwent posterior endoscopic cervical decompression. The mean follow-up was 29.6 months, and the most common levels affected were C5/6 and C6/7. There was a complication rate of 12% with 2 cases of neurapraxia and one case of recurrent of prolapsed disc. There was no revision surgery in our series. There was significant clinical improvement in Visual Analogue Scale and Neck Disability Index. Prospective comparative study between preoperative and final follow-up mean improvement in VAS score was 5.08 ± 1.75, and NDI was 45.1 ± 13.3. Ninety-two percent of the patients achieved good and excellent results as per MacNab's criteria. Retrospective evaluation of the radiological data showed significant increments of foraminal dimensions: (1) sagittal area increased 21.4 ± 11.2 mm2, (2) CT Cranio Caudal length increased 1.21 ± 1.30 mm and (3) CT ventro-dorsal length increased 2.09 ± 1.35 mm and (4) 3D CT scan reconstruction coronal decompression area increased 536 ± 176 mm2, p < 0.05. CONCLUSION: Uniportal posterior endoscopic cervical foraminotomy and discectomy are safe, efficient and precise choreographed set of technique in the treatment of cervical radiculopathy. It significantly improved clinical outcomes and achieved the objective of increasing in the cervical foramen size in our cohort of patients.

How I do it? Uniportal full endoscopic pseudoarthrosis release of left L5/S1 Bertolotti's syndrome under intraoperative computer tomographic guidance in an ambulatory setting.

BACKGROUND: There is limited literature on technique full endoscopic pseudoarthrosis release of Bertolotti syndrome. METHODS: Uniportal full endoscopic pseudoarthrosis release technique applies for patients presenting with symptomatic Bertolotti's syndrome. Full-thickness endoscopic drilling is carried out from most ventrolateral margin of pseudoarthrosis articulating with the highest part of sacral ala (PH) point to dorsal medioinferior margin of pseudoarthrosis adjacent to superior articular process (MS) point. Complete pseudoarthrosis release was confirmed with an intraoperative 3D imaging system. CONCLUSION: The uniportal full endoscopic pseudoarthrosis release is a good alternative to open surgery to release pseudoarthrosis in L5/S1 Bertolotti's syndrome in an ambulatory setting.

How I do it? Full endoscopic transforaminal approach for lumbar disc herniation that migrated bilaterally to four corners.

BACKGROUND: Despite of the evolution of endoscopic surgery, the literature on technique uniportal transforaminal endoscopic lumbar discectomy (TELD) for bilateral lesions is scarce. METHODS: Unilateral TELD was performed in a patient with bilateral superior and inferior migrated, broad-based disc herniation presenting with an impaired neurological state. The key surgical steps focus on free mobility in Kambin triangle with the mobile outside-in technique and accessibility to contralateral lesions with an extensive annular resection procedure. CONCLUSION: TELD can be a surgical option for treating bilateral multiple direction migrated lumbar disc herniation with benefits of minimal neural retraction and facet joint preservation.

Stand-Alone Posterior Expandable Cage Technique for Adjacent Segment Degeneration with Lumbar Spinal Canal Stenosis: A Retrospective Case Series.

Background and Objectives: Symptomatic adjacent segment degeneration (ASD) with lumbar spinal canal stenosis (LSCS) is a common complication after spinal intervention, particularly interbody fusion. Stand-alone posterior expandable cages enable interbody fusion with preservation of the previous operation site, and screw-related complications are avoided. Thus, the aim of this study was to investigate the clinicoradiologic outcomes of stand-alone posterior expandable cages for ASD with LSCS. Materials and Methods: Patients with persistent neurologic symptoms and radiologically confirmed ASD with LSCS were evaluated between January 2011 and December 2016. The five-year follow-up data were used to evaluate the long-term outcomes. The radiologic parameters for sagittal balance, pain control (visual analogue scale), disability (Oswestry Disability Index), and early (peri-operative) and late (implant) complications were evaluated. Results: The data of 19 patients with stand-alone posterior expandable cages were evaluated. Local factors, such as intervertebral and foraminal heights, were significantly corrected (p < 0.01 and p < 0.01, respectively), and revision was not reported. The pain level (p < 0.01) and disability rate (p < 0.01) significantly improved, and the early complication rate was low (n = 2, 10.52%). However, lumbar lordosis (p = 0.62) and sagittal balance (p = 0.80) did not significantly improve. Furthermore, the rates of subsidence (n = 4, 21.05%) and retropulsion (n = 3, 15.79%) were high. Conclusions: A stand-alone expandable cage technique should only be considered for older adults and patients with previous extensive fusion. Although this technique is less invasive, improves the local radiologic factors, and yields favorable clinical outcomes with low revision rates, it does not improve the sagittal balance. For more widespread application, the strength of the cage material and high subsidence rates should be improved.

Correction to: Decreasing thickness and remodeling of ligamentum flavum after oblique lumbar interbody fusion.

In the article "Decreasing Thickness and Remodeling of Ligamentum Flavum After Oblique Lumbar Interbody Fusion", Figure 2 captions contained mistakes as descriptions for the Figure sections were not assigned correctly.

Decreasing thickness and remodeling of ligamentum flavum after oblique lumbar interbody fusion.

PURPOSE: Ligamentum flavum is one of the structures that could compress the spinal canal. Few studies have reported atrophy of ligamentum flavum after spinal fusion. The purpose of this study was to demonstrate the reduction of ligamentum flavum size after oblique lumbar interbody fusion (OLIF) using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). METHOD: Seventeen patients who underwent OLIF without direct decompression were included. The MRI was obtained at the preoperative period, immediate postoperative period, and the follow-up period. Disc height (DH) was measured in plain radiograph. MRI measurements were spinal canal cross-sectional area (SCSA), ligamentum flavum thickness (LFT), ligamentum flavum area (LFA), and foraminal area (FA). RESULTS: Mean age of the patients was 68.5 ± 10.8. Mean times between postoperative MRI and follow-up MRI were 20.2 ± 11.9 months. Mean disc height increased from 7.6 ± 1.6 to 11.6 ± 1.7 mm at an immediate postoperative period but decreased to 10.1 ± 1.6 mm during follow-up (p < 0.001). SCSA increased from 96.9 ± 54.9 to 136.0 ± 72.7 mm2 and 171.4 ± 76.10 mm2 during follow-up (p < 0.001). LFT decreased from 3.9 ± 1.2 to 3.2 ± 0.8 mm (17.9%) and further decreased to 2.9 ± 0.7 mm during follow-up (9.4%) (p < 0.001). LFA decreased from 97.4 ± 36.9 to 86.1 ± 36.9 mm2 (11.6%) and further decreased to 77.2 ± 32.5 mm2 during follow-up (10.3%) (p = 0.001). FA increased from 69.2 ± 26.6 to 96.1 ± 23.0 mm2 and increased to 112.9 ± 23.0 mm2 during follow-up (p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: OLIF could decompress the spinal canal and foraminal canal indirectly. Despite the diminishing disc height during the follow-up period, the spinal canal was further increased in size from the remodeling of the ligamentum flavum.

Worldwide research productivity in the field of full-endoscopic spine surgery: a bibliometric study.

PURPOSE: To investigate the quantity and quality of articles in the field of full-endoscopic spine surgery (FESS) from different countries and assess characteristics of worldwide research productivity. METHODS: Articles published from 1997 to July 23, 2018, were screened using the Web of Science database. All studies were assessed for the following parameters: the number of total publications, h-index, contribution of countries, authors, journals, and institutions. RESULTS: A total of 408 articles were identified between 1997 and 2018. Between 1997 and 2017, the number of published articles tended to increase by 41 times. The largest number of articles was from China (30.15%), followed by South Korea (28.68%), the USA (13.97%), Germany (9.31%), and Japan (4.90%). The highest h-index was found for articles from South Korea (23), followed by the USA (18), Germany (16), China (11), and Japan (7). The highest number of articles was published in World Neurosurgery (12.50%), followed by Pain Physician (10.29%), Spine (6.62%), European Spine Journal (4.66%), and Journal of Neurosurgery: Spine (4.17%). Wooridul Spine Hospital published the largest number of articles (10.29%), followed by Tongji University (5.88%), University of Witten/Herdecke (5.39%), Brown University (5.15%), and Third Military Medical University (3.43%). CONCLUSIONS: The number of articles published in the field of FESS has increased rapidly in the past 20 years. In terms of quantity, China is the most contributive country based on the number of publications. High-quality papers as measured by h-index and the large quantity is from South Korea (second only to China). These slides can be retrieved under Electronic Supplementary Material.

Infected Schmorl's node: a case report.

BACKGROUND: Schmorls node (SN) are mostly asymptomatic and incidental findings on MRI. However, sometimes they present like acute onset low back pain or acute exacerbation of chronic back pain after minor trauma. CASE PRESENTATION: We present rare case of symptomatic infected SN in 67 years female patient presented with complains of low back pain radiating to right buttock. After initial conservative treatment failed subsequent imaging showed significant increase in size of lesion with focal signal changes in disc space gave suspicion of underlying secondary pathology. Patient operated for complete excision of lesion. Histopathological report was suggestive of pyogenic vertebral osteomyelitis. Patient improved well postoperatively. CONCLUSION: Most of the time acute SN responds well to conservative treatment; however rapid deterioration of symptoms or persistent severe pain should give suspicion of underlying secondary pathology.

How I do it? Uniportal full endoscopic contralateral approach for lumbar foraminal stenosis with double crush syndrome.

BACKGROUND: Evolution of endoscopic surgery provides equivalent results to open surgery with advantages of minimal invasive surgery. The literature on technique Uniportal Full endoscopic contralateral approach is scarce. METHODS: The endoscopic contralateral approach technique applies for patients presenting with double crush syndrome with foraminal and extraforminal stenosis. The key steps focus on contralateral ventral overriding superior articular process decompression, foraminal and extraforaminal discectomy, and lateral vertebral syndesmophyte decompression leading to enlargement of the contralateral foramen and extraforamen size. CONCLUSION: The Uniportal Full endoscopic contralateral approach is a good alternative to open surgery or minimally invasive microscopic surgery through direct endoscopic visualization of the entire route of exiting nerve with no neural retraction allowing both lateral recess and foraminal and extraforaminal decompression all in one approach.

Percutaneous full endoscopic treatment of cystic lymphangioma of cauda equina: a case report.

Intraspinal epidural lymphangioma of cauda equina are extremely rare, only three cases have been reported in the past. We report a 63-year-old female with lymphangioma at S1-S2 level which was resected under epidural anesthesia using a percutaneous full endoscope with no evidence of recurrence at 19 months follow-up.

Intervertebral Disc Diseases PART 2: A Review of the Current Diagnostic and Treatment Strategies for Intervertebral Disc Disease.

With an aging population, there is a proportional increase in the prevalence of intervertebral disc diseases. Intervertebral disc diseases are the leading cause of lower back pain and disability. With a high prevalence of asymptomatic intervertebral disc diseases, there is a need for accurate diagnosis, which is key to management. A thorough understanding of the pathophysiology and clinical manifestation aids in understanding the natural history of these conditions. Recent developments in radiological and biomarker investigations have potential to provide noninvasive alternatives to the gold standard, invasive discogram. There is a large volume of literature on the management of intervertebral disc diseases, which we categorized into five headings: (a) Relief of pain by conservative management, (b) restorative treatment by molecular therapy, (c) reconstructive treatment by percutaneous intervertebral disc techniques, (d) relieving compression and replacement surgery, and (e) rigid fusion surgery. This review article aims to provide an overview on various current diagnostic and treatment options and discuss the interplay between each arms of these scientific and treatment advancements, hence providing an outlook of their potential future developments and collaborations in the management of intervertebral disc diseases.

Lumbar Degenerative Disease Part 1: Anatomy and Pathophysiology of Intervertebral Discogenic Pain and Radiofrequency Ablation of Basivertebral and Sinuvertebral Nerve Treatment for Chronic Discogenic Back Pain: A Prospective Case Series and Review of Literature.

Degenerative disc disease is a leading cause of chronic back pain in the aging population in the world. Sinuvertebral nerve and basivertebral nerve are postulated to be associated with the pain pathway as a result of neurotization. Our goal is to perform a prospective study using radiofrequency ablation on sinuvertebral nerve and basivertebral nerve; evaluating its short and long term effect on pain score, disability score and patients' outcome. A review in literature is done on the pathoanatomy, pathophysiology and pain generation pathway in degenerative disc disease and chronic back pain. 30 patients with 38 levels of intervertebral disc presented with discogenic back pain with bulging degenerative intervertebral disc or spinal stenosis underwent Uniportal Full Endoscopic Radiofrequency Ablation application through either Transforaminal or Interlaminar Endoscopic Approaches. Their preoperative characteristics are recorded and prospective data was collected for Visualized Analogue Scale, Oswestry Disability Index and MacNab Criteria for pain were evaluated. There was statistically significant Visual Analogue Scale improvement from preoperative state at post-operative 1wk, 6 months and final follow up were 4.4 ± 1.0, 5.5 ± 1.2 and 5.7 ± 1.3, respectively, p < 0.0001. Oswestery Disability Index improvement from preoperative state at 1week, 6 months and final follow up were 45.8 ± 8.7, 50.4 ± 8.2 and 52.7 ± 10.3, p < 0.0001. MacNab criteria showed excellent outcomes in 17 cases, good outcomes in 11 cases and fair outcomes in 2 cases Sinuvertebral Nerve and Basivertebral Nerve Radiofrequency Ablation is effective in improving the patients' pain, disability status and patient outcome in our study.

Radiographic outcomes of endoscopic decompression for lumbar spinal stenosis.

OBJECTIVELumbar central stenosis can theoretically be decompressed with minimal bone removal via an endoscopic approach. Although multiple studies have demonstrated an adequate radiographic decompression, none has quantified the volume of bone removal after endoscopic decompression. The objective of this study was to quantify the 3D volume of bone removed from the lamina and facet joints during endoscopic decompression for lumbar central and lateral recess stenosis.METHODSThis retrospective study included adults with lumbar spinal stenosis who underwent endoscopic decompression of a single level or 2 noncontiguous lumbar levels. Central stenosis on MRI was graded preoperatively and postoperatively using the Schizas scale. A computer program was developed in MATLAB to semiautomatically perform a 3D volumetric analysis of preoperative and postoperative lumbar CT scans. The volumetric percentage of bone removed from the lamina and facet joints ipsilateral and contralateral to the side of approach was quantified.RESULTSNineteen patients with 21 treated lumbar levels were included in the study. Preoperatively, the number of levels with Schizas stenosis grades B, C, and D were 5, 12, and 4, respectively. Stenosis grades improved postoperatively to grades A, B, C, and D for 17, 3, 1, and 0 levels, respectively. All levels improved by at least 1 stenosis grade. The volumetric percentage of laminar bone removed was 15.5% (95% CI 11.2%-19.8%, p < 0.001) from the ipsilateral lamina and 8.8% (95% CI 5.7%-11.8%, p < 0.001) from the contralateral lamina. The percentage of facet joint resection was 5.3% (95% CI 4.2%-6.4%, p < 0.001) and 4.3% (95% CI 2.2%-6.4%, p < 0.001) for the ipsilateral and contralateral facet joints, respectively. Average pain scores, as measured by the visual analog scale, improved from 7.9 preoperatively to 2.2 by 3-10 months postoperatively (p < 0.001).CONCLUSIONSEndoscopic lumbar decompression achieves improvement in the radiographic grade of lumbar central stenosis with minimal bone removal from the lamina and facet joints. Future prospective studies are needed to validate the findings of this study with more comprehensive clinical outcomes.

How I do it? Transforaminal endoscopic decompression of intraspinal facet cyst.

BACKGROUND: Transforaminal endoscopic surgery provides equivalent results to open surgery with added advantages of feasibility under local anesthesia, no injury to posterior elements, preservation of the ligamentum flavum, ease of revision surgery, and cost-effectiveness. The technique of transforaminal endoscopic excision of cysts of facet or zygapophyseal joints is scarcely described in literature. METHODS: The transforaminal endoscopy is applicable to cyst lying in the extraforaminal, foraminal, and intraspinal regions. The "mobile" outside-in technique combined with osteotomy of the tip of the superior articular process facilitates intraspinal access for complete decompression. CONCLUSION: Transforaminal endoscopic removal of the facet cyst is a viable alternative to traditional open surgery with added advantages of a minimal access procedure.

Acute burst fracture in Kummell's disease with acute onset neurological deficit: a case report on role of spinal stability and technical notes on "pivot ligamentotaxis".

BACKGROUND: Kummell's Disease has insidious progression. Neurological deficit is usually slow in onset and progression and only few cases of acute neurological deficit have been reported. We came across a case of Kummell's disease which progressed to burst fracture, developed neurological deficit within two weeks. We managed patient with "pivot ligamentotaxis" and Polymethylmethacrylate augmented, posterior compressed, short segment percutaneous pedicle screw fixation. CASE PRESENTATION: Eighty-three years old woman following fall was on conservative management at another hospital. She had no neurological deficit. A week later her back pain aggravated and two weeks later developed bilateral buttock pain, bilateral lower limb weakness and diminished sensation in the sacral area. Radiological investigations (X-rays, Magnetic resonance imaging and Computed tomography) showed L1 vertebral body fracture with vacuum cleft and fracture fragment retropulsed into the spinal canal. A diagnosis of Kummell's disease with burst fracture of L1 vertebra & neurological deficit was made. Patient was managed with Polymethylmethacrylate augmented, posterior compressed, short segment percutaneous pedicle screw fixation. The reduction of the retropulsed fragment was achieved by virtue of "Pivot ligamentotaxis". The patient got relieved of the symptoms (Preoperative VAS 8 and postoperative VAS 3) and was allowed brace assisted ambulation on first postoperative day. CONCLUSION: This study reports acute occurrence of the burst fracture in unstable vertebra inflicted by Kummell's disease and role of spinal stability in recovery. We achieved closed reduction of the fracture fragments and relief of the cord compression by posterior compression with "pivot ligamentotaxis".

Narrative Review of Uniportal Posterior Endoscopic Cervical Foraminotomy.

Cervical radiculopathy is a common and disabling cervical condition characterized by symptoms including axial neck pain, radicular pain, weakness, and numbness in one or both arms. Common causes include herniated discs and foraminal stenosis, often accompanied by varying degrees of degenerative disc disease and uncovertebral joint hypertrophy. In the treatment of cervical radiculopathy, there is an increasing preference for posterior foraminotomy over anterior cervical discectomy and fusion due to the avoidance of fusion-related complications. As endoscopic spine surgery techniques continue to evolve, there is a rising interest in posterior endoscopic cervical foraminotomy and posterior endoscopic cervical discectomy as effective treatments for cervical radiculopathy. Because these procedures can performed through a single subcentimeter incision with minimal soft tissue damage, they can often be carried out as ambulatory procedures. In this narrative review, we examined current literature addressing the indications, surgical techniques, outcomes, and potential complications associated with posterior cervical endoscopic approaches.