title: A review of laminoforaminotomy for the management of lateral and foraminal cervical disc herniations or spurs.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Anterior versus posterior surgical management of lateral and foraminal cervical disc disease remains controversial. The key hole foraminotomy or laminoforaminotomy allows dorsal resection without the instability encountered with anterior cervical approaches, with more limited morbidity. Unilateral radiculopathy can be addressed with the laminoforaminotomy, while bilateral or multifocal radiculopathy with myelopathy may additionally require a laminectomy or laminoplasty.
  
  
  METHODS
  Selection of patients for laminoforaminotomy should be based upon correlation of clinical findings and neurodiagnostic (MR, CT) studies to ensure that the dorsal approaches will sufficiently address the pathology.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The technical completion of a laminoforaminotomy is reviewed.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Performing adequate preoperative MR and CT examinations allows for the selection of patients who will benefit from the "key hole" or "laminoforaminotomy" approaches to lateral and foraminal disc disease and/or spur formation.
authors.affiliation: Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York, USA.
authors.forename: Nancy E
authors.initials: NE
authors.lastname: Epstein
mesh_terms: D002574:Cervical Vertebrae / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D007405:Intervertebral Disc Displacement / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery*; D007796:Laminectomy / Q000379:methods*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D009408:Nerve Compression Syndromes / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery; D013117:Spinal Cord Compression / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery; D013126:Spinal Nerve Roots / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D013128:Spinal Osteophytosis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed