title: Cervical disc hernia operations through posterior laminoforaminotomy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The most common used technique for posterolateral cervical disc herniations is anterior approach. However, posterior cervical laminotoforaminomy can provide excellent results in appropriately selected patients with foraminal stenosis in either soft disc prolapse or cervical spondylosis. The purpose of this study was to present the clinical outcomes following posterior laminoforaminotomy in patients with radiculopathy.
  
  
  METHODS
  We retrospectively evaluated 35 patients diagnosed with posterolateral cervical disc herniation and cervical spondylosis with foraminal stenosis causing radiculopathy operated by the posterior cervical keyhole laminoforaminotomy between the years 2010 and 2015.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The file records and the radiographic images of the 35 patients were assessed retrospectively. The mean age was 46.4 years (range: 34-66 years). Of the patients, 19 were males and 16 were females. In all of the patients, the neurologic deficit observed was radiculopathy. The posterolaterally localized disc herniations and the osteophytic structures were on the left side in 18 cases and on the right in 17 cases. In 10 of the patients, the disc level was at C5-6, in 18 at C6-7, in 2 at C3-4, in 2 at C4-5, in 1 at C7-T1, in 1 patient at both C5-6 and C6-7, and in 1 at both C4-5 and C5-6. In 14 of these 35 patients, both osteophytic structures and protruded disc herniation were present. Intervertebral foramen stenosis was present in all of the patients with osteophytes. Postoperatively, in 31 patients the complaints were relieved completely and four patients had complaints of neck pain and paresthesia radiating to the arm (the success of operation was 88.5%). On control examinations, there was no finding of instability or cervical kyphosis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Posterior cervical laminoforaminotomy is an alternative appropriate choice in both cervical soft disc herniations and cervical stenosis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Erzurum Regional Training and Research Hospital, Erzurum, Turkey.
authors.forename: Coskun
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Yolas
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Istanbul Training and Research Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Nuriye Guzin
authors.initials: NG
authors.lastname: Ozdemir
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Erzurum Regional Training and Research Hospital, Erzurum, Turkey.
authors.forename: Hilmi Onder
authors.initials: HO
authors.lastname: Okay
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Recep Tayyip Erdogan University, Rize, Turkey.
authors.forename: Ayhan
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kanat
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Erzurum Regional Training and Research Hospital, Erzurum, Turkey.
authors.forename: Mehmet
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Senol
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Istanbul Training and Research Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Ibrahim Burak
authors.initials: IB
authors.lastname: Atci
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Duzce Ataturk State Hospital, Duzce, Turkey.
authors.forename: Hakan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yilmaz
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Erzurum Regional Training and Research Hospital, Erzurum, Turkey.
authors.forename: Mustafa Kemal
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Coban
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Erzurum Regional Training and Research Hospital, Erzurum, Turkey.
authors.forename: Mehmet Onur
authors.initials: MO
authors.lastname: Yuksel
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Erzurum Regional Training and Research Hospital, Erzurum, Turkey.
authors.forename: Umit
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Kahraman
keywords: Cervical disc herniation; foraminal stenosis; posterior laminoforaminotomy