Biportal endoscopy-assisted lateral mass screw fixation using a third portal.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: The technique of spinal decompression under endoscopy has been widely applied, but reports on endoscopic cervical fixation are rare. The unilateral biportal endoscopic (UBE) technique stands out for its lesser muscle intrusion and more flexible surgical approach. METHOD: We applied the UBE approach for cervical fixation and laminectomy. We achieved bilateral lateral mass screw fixation by making an auxiliary UBE portal combined with the Roy-Camille and Magerl techniques. CONCLUSIONS: Our successful implementation of cervical fixation using the UBE technique at the C3/4 level suggests its efficacy. This approach is a valuable and minimally invasive option for cervical fixation.