{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,29]],"date-time":"2026-10-29T05:34:22Z","timestamp":1793252062027,"version":"4.5.0"},"reference-count":34,"publisher":"Journal of Neurosurgery Publishing Group (JNSPG)","issue":"4","content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["SPI"],"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2009,4]]},"abstract":"<jats:sec>\n<jats:title>Object<\/jats:title>\n<jats:p>This study details long-term clinical and radiographic outcomes following single-level posterior cervical foraminotomy for degenerative disc or osteophyte disease.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec>\n<jats:sec>\n<jats:title>Methods<\/jats:title>\n<jats:p>The authors conducted a retrospective review of 162 cases involving patients treated by a single surgeon using a posterior cervical foraminotomy. Inclusion criteria were a minimum of 5 years' clinical and radiographic follow-up and unilateral single-level posterior cervical foraminotomy for degenerative disease between C-3 and C-7. Patients who had undergone previous operations, those who underwent bilateral procedures, and those who underwent foraminotomy as part of a larger laminectomy were excluded. The Neck Disability Index (NDI) was used for clinical follow-up, and radiographic follow-up was performed using static and dynamic lateral radiographs to compare focal and segmental alignment and changes in disc-space height.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec>\n<jats:sec>\n<jats:title>Results<\/jats:title>\n<jats:p>The mean presenting NDI score was 18 (range 2\u201339). The most common presenting symptoms were radiculopathy (110 patients [68%]), neck pain (85 patients [52%]), and subjective weakness (91 patients [56%]). The mean preoperative focal angulation at the surgically treated level was 4.2\u00b0 (median 4.1\u00b0, range 7.3\u201315.3\u00b0), and the mean preoperative segmental curvature between C-2 and C-7 was 18.0\u00b0 (median 19.3\u00b0, range \u221222.1 to 39.3\u00b0). The mean postoperative NDI score was 8 (range 0\u201339). Improvement in NDI scores was seen in 150 patients (93%). Resolution of radiculopathy was experienced by 104 patients (95% of patients with radiculopathy). The mean radiographic follow-up was 77.3 months (range 60\u2013177 months). No statistically significant changes in focal or segmental kyphosis or disc-space height were seen among the overall cohort with time (Cox proportional hazards analysis and Student t-test, p &gt; 0.05). The mean postoperative focal angulation was 4.1\u00b0 (median 3.9\u00b0, range \u22129.9\u00b0 to 15.1\u00b0) and mean postoperative segmental angulation was 17.6\u00b0 (median 15.4\u00b0, range \u221240.2 to 35.3\u00b0). Postoperative instability on dynamic imaging was present in 8 patients (4.9%); 7 of these patients were clinically asymptomatic and were treated conservatively, and 1 required cervical fusion. Postoperative loss of lordosis (defined as segmental Cobb angle &lt; 10\u00b0) was seen in 30 patients (20%), 9 of whom had clinical symptoms and 4 of whom required further surgical correction. Factors associated with worsening sagittal alignment (Cox proportional hazards analysis, p &lt; 0.05) included age &gt; 60 at initial surgery, the presence of preoperative cervical lordosis of &lt; 10\u00b0, and the need for posterior surgery after the initial foraminotomy<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec>\n<jats:sec>\n<jats:title>Conclusions<\/jats:title>\n<jats:p>The posterior cervical foraminotomy is highly effective in treating patients with cervical radiculopathy and results in long-lasting pain relief and improved quality-of-life outcomes in most patients. Long-term radiographic follow-up shows no significant trend toward kyphosis, although select patient subsets (patients older than 60 years, patients who had previous posterior surgery, and patients with &lt; 10\u00b0 of lordosis preoperatively) appear to be at higher risk and require closer follow-up.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.3171\/2008.12.spine08576","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2009,5,15]],"date-time":"2009-05-15T00:22:15Z","timestamp":1242346935000},"page":"347-356","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":139,"title":["The posterior cervical foraminotomy in the treatment of cervical disc\/osteophyte disease: a single-surgeon experience with a minimum of 5 years' clinical and radiographic follow-up"],"prefix":"10.3171","volume":"10","author":[{"given":"Jay","family":"Jagannathan","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Jonathan H.","family":"Sherman","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Tom","family":"Szabo","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Christopher I.","family":"Shaffrey","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"John A.","family":"Jane","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1754","reference":[{"key":"b1-0100347","series-title":"Spine","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"2738","DOI":"10.1097\/00007632-199812150-00014","article-title":"Postlaminectomy kyphosis","volume":"23","author":"Albert","year":"1998"},{"key":"b2-0100347","series-title":"The Cervical Spine","first-page":"1135","article-title":"Managment of cervical kyphosis caused by surgery, degenerative disease, or trauma","author":"Anderson","year":"2005"},{"key":"b3-0100347","series-title":"J Bone Joint Surg Am","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"898","DOI":"10.2106\/00004623-199173060-00012","article-title":"Instability of the cervical spine after decompression in patients who have Arnold-Chiari malformation","volume":"73","author":"Aronson","year":"1991"},{"key":"b4-0100347","series-title":"Spine","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"196","DOI":"10.1097\/00007632-199601150-00007","article-title":"Laminoplasty with foraminotomy for coexisting cervical myelopathy and unilateral radiculopathy: a preliminary report","volume":"21","author":"Baba","year":"1996"},{"key":"b5-0100347","series-title":"Spine","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"406","DOI":"10.1097\/00007632-199402001-00005","article-title":"Spinal deformity after multiple-level cervical laminectomy in children","volume":"19","author":"Bell","year":"1994"},{"key":"b6-0100347","series-title":"Eur Spine J","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"319","DOI":"10.1007\/BF00304347","article-title":"Outcome of cervical radiculopathy treated with periradicular\/epidural corticosteroid injections: a prospective study with independent clinical review","volume":"5","author":"Bush","year":"1996"},{"key":"b7-0100347","series-title":"N Engl J Med","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"392","DOI":"10.1056\/NEJMcp043887","article-title":"Clinical practice. 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