title: Endoscopic assisted microdecompression of cervical disc and foramen.
abstract: The anterior endoscopic cervical microdecompression (AECM) of disc and foramen with added application of nonablative lower holmium laser energy for disc shrinkage (laser thermodiskoplasty) has proven to be safe, less traumatic, easier, and more efficacious than conventional methods with significant economic savings. It preserves spinal motion and provides a channel for spinal arthroplasty. It is an effective alternative or replacement for conventional open cervical spinal surgery for discectomy, and can decompress spinal stenosis and degenerative spine conditions.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurospine Surgery, California Spine Institute Medical Center, Thousand Oaks, California, USA.
authors.forename: John C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Chiu
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002574:Cervical Vertebrae / Q000601:surgery*; D019299:Decompression, Surgical / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods*; D004724:Endoscopy / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D007403:Intervertebral Disc / Q000601:surgery*; D007405:Intervertebral Disc Displacement / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D016896:Treatment Outcome