title: Bilateral spinal canal decompression via hemilaminectomy in cervical spondylotic myelopathy.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  In cervical spondylotic myelopathy (CSM), laminoplasty (LP) or laminectomy plus fusion (LF) are accepted operative options and alternatives to anterior approaches. Both LP and LF have distinctive disadvantages, which might be avoided by unilateral hemilaminectomy and bilateral decompression of the spinal cord.
  
  
  METHODS
  Description of the surgical technique, indications, and limitations. The potential advantages in comparison to LP and LF are discussed.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Unilateral hemilaminectomy allows bilateral decompression of the whole dorsal circumference of spinal cord from nerve root to nerve root. The potential major advantages are a reduction of invasiveness by only unilateral muscle detachment, avoidance of implants, and shorter operation times.
authors: Department of Neurosurgery, Georg-August-University Göttingen, Robert-Koch-Strasse 40, 37075, Göttingen, Germany. dorothee.mielke@med.uni-goettingen.de.|Klinik und Poliklinik für Neurochirurgie, Georg-August-Universität Göttingen, Robert-Koch-Strasse 40, 37075, Göttingen, Germany. dorothee.mielke@med.uni-goettingen.de.
authors: Dorothee
authors: D
authors: Mielke
authors: Department of Neurosurgery, Georg-August-University Göttingen, Robert-Koch-Strasse 40, 37075, Göttingen, Germany.
authors: Veit
authors: V
authors: Rohde
mesh_terms: D002574:Cervical Vertebrae / Q000601:surgery*; D019299:Decompression, Surgical / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D007796:Laminectomy / Q000379:methods*; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000601:surgery*; D013128:Spinal Osteophytosis / Q000601:surgery*
keywords: Bilateral decompression; Cervical spine; Cervical spondylotic myelopathy; Decompression; Hemilaminectomy; Spinal canal stenosis