{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,5,23]],"date-time":"2026-05-23T09:11:04Z","timestamp":1779527464019,"version":"3.53.1"},"reference-count":60,"publisher":"Journal of Neurosurgery Publishing Group (JNSPG)","issue":"2","content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["FOC"],"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2008,8]]},"abstract":"<jats:p>Spine surgery has seen parallel interest and development in the areas of motion preservation and minimally invasive surgery. Posterior microendoscopic laminoforaminotomy (MELF) allows for neural decompression while maintaining motion via a minimally invasive approach. This technique shares the advantage of maintenance of motion with arthroplasty, but without the need for instrumentation. Therefore, the procedure is motion preserving, minimally invasive and cost-effective. The ideal indications for posterior MELF include unilateral radiculopathy secondary to \u201chard disc\u201d or spondylosis, as well as soft disc herniations. The authors present a modified surgical technique for posterior MELF as well as a case study illustrating its synergy with anterior arthroplasty.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3171\/foc\/2008\/25\/8\/e2","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2008,8,1]],"date-time":"2008-08-01T13:41:46Z","timestamp":1217598106000},"page":"E2","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":29,"title":["Minimally invasive cervical microendoscopic laminoforaminotomy"],"prefix":"10.3171","volume":"25","author":[{"given":"Domagoj","family":"Coric","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Carolina Neurosurgery and Spine Associates, Charlotte, North Carolina"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Tim","family":"Adamson","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Carolina Neurosurgery and Spine Associates, Charlotte, North Carolina"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1754","reference":[{"key":"b1-0250002","series-title":"J Neurosurg Spine","first-page":"43","article-title":"The impact of minimally invasive cervical spine surgery","volume":"1","author":"Adamson","year":"2004"},{"issue":"1 Suppl","key":"b2-0250002","series-title":"J Neurosurg","first-page":"51","article-title":"Microendoscopic posterior cervical laminoforaminotomy for unilateral radiculopathy: results of a new technique in 100 cases","volume":"95","author":"Adamson","year":"2001"},{"key":"b3-0250002","series-title":"Oper Tech Sports Med","first-page":"96","article-title":"Posterior cervical endoscopic laminoforaminotomy for the treatment of radiculopathy in the athlete","volume":"13","author":"Adamson","year":"2005"},{"key":"b4-0250002","series-title":"J Neurosurg","first-page":"396","article-title":"Anterior cervical fusion by the Smith-Robinson approach","volume":"29","author":"Aronson","year":"1968"},{"key":"b5-0250002","series-title":"Neurosurgery","first-page":"194","article-title":"Fusion around cervical disc prosthesis: case report","volume":"57","author":"Bartels","year":"2005"},{"key":"b6-0250002","series-title":"J Neurosurg Spine","first-page":"403","article-title":"Early results after Prodisc-C cervical disc replacement","volume":"2","author":"Bertagnoli","year":"2005"},{"key":"b7-0250002","series-title":"J Neurosurg Spine","first-page":"5","article-title":"Same-segment and adjacent-segment disease following posterior cervical foraminotomy","volume":"6","author":"Clarke","year":"2007"},{"key":"b8-0250002","series-title":"J Neurosurg","first-page":"602","article-title":"The anterior approach for the removal of ruptured cervical disks","volume":"15","author":"Cloward","year":"1958"},{"key":"b9-0250002","series-title":"J Neurosurg","first-page":"969","article-title":"Revision of anterior cervical pseudoarthrosis with anterior allograft fusion and plating","volume":"86","author":"Coric","year":"1997"},{"key":"b10-0250002","series-title":"J Neurosurg Spine","first-page":"31","article-title":"Prospective randomized controlled study of the Bryan Cervical Disc: early clinical results from a single investigational site","volume":"4","author":"Coric","year":"2006"},{"key":"b11-0250002","series-title":"J Neurosurg","first-page":"943","article-title":"Surgical experience with an implanted artificial cervical joint","volume":"88","author":"Cummins","year":"1998"},{"key":"b12-0250002","series-title":"J Spinal Disord Tech","first-page":"314","article-title":"Biomechanical testing of an artificial cervical joint and an anterior cervical plate","volume":"16","author":"DiAngelo","year":"2003"},{"key":"b13-0250002","series-title":"J Bone Join Surg Am","first-page":"941","article-title":"Anterior cervical decompression and arthrodesis for the treatment of cervical spondylotic myelopathy. Two to seventeen-year follow-up","volume":"80","author":"Emery","year":"1998"},{"key":"b14-0250002","series-title":"Neurosurgery","first-page":"840","article-title":"Preliminary clinical experience with the Bryan cervical disc pros-thesis","volume":"51","author":"Goffin","year":"2002"},{"key":"b15-0250002","series-title":"Spine","first-page":"2673","article-title":"Intermediate follow-up after treatment of degenerative disc disease with the Bryan cervical disc prosthesis: single-level and bi-level","volume":"23","author":"Goffin","year":"2003"},{"key":"b16-0250002","series-title":"Spine","first-page":"1046","article-title":"Complications of cervical spine surgery: a five-year report on a survey of the membership of the Cervical Spine Research Society by the Morbidity and Mortality Committee","volume":"14","author":"Graham","year":"1989"},{"key":"b17-0250002","series-title":"Neurosurgery","first-page":"504","article-title":"Posterior foraminotomy as an exclusive operative technique for cervical radiculopathy: a review of 846 consecutively operated cases","volume":"13","author":"Henderson","year":"1983"},{"key":"b18-0250002","series-title":"Spine","first-page":"1026","article-title":"Surgical management of cervical soft disc herniation: a comparison between the anterior and posterior approach","volume":"15","author":"Herkowitz","year":"1990"},{"key":"b19-0250002","series-title":"J Bone Joint Surg Am","first-page":"519","article-title":"Radiculopathy and myelopathy at segments adjacent to the site of a previous anterior cervical arthrodesis","volume":"81","author":"Hilibrand","year":"1999"},{"key":"b20-0250002","series-title":"Spine","first-page":"399","article-title":"Radiographic changes following anterior cervical fusion","volume":"5","author":"Hunter","year":"1980"},{"key":"b21-0250002","series-title":"Spine","first-page":"670","article-title":"Strain on intervertbral discs after anterior cervical decompression and fusion","volume":"24","author":"Matsunaga","year":"1999"},{"key":"b22-0250002","series-title":"J Neurosurg Spine","first-page":"155","article-title":"The future in the care of the cervical spine: interbody fusion and arthroplasty","volume":"1","author":"Mummaneni","year":"2004"},{"key":"b23-0250002","series-title":"J Neurosurg","first-page":"679","article-title":"Surgical treatment of laterally ruptured cervical disc. Review of 648 cases, 1939 to 1972","volume":"38","author":"Murphey","year":"1973"},{"key":"b24-0250002","series-title":"Neurosurgy","first-page":"379","article-title":"Intradiscal pressure recordings in the cervical spine","volume":"44","author":"Pospiech","year":"1999"},{"key":"b25-0250002","series-title":"Bull Johns Hopkins Hosp","first-page":"223","article-title":"Anterolateral cervical disc removal and interbody fusion for cervical disk syndrome","volume":"96","author":"Robinson","year":"1955"},{"key":"b26-0250002","series-title":"J Spinal Disord Tech","first-page":"307","article-title":"Cervical arthroplasty in the management of spondylotic myelopathy","volume":"16","author":"Sekhon","year":"2003"},{"key":"b27-0250002","series-title":"J Neurosurg Spine","first-page":"39","article-title":"The efficacy of microendoscopic discectomy in reducing iatrogenic muscle injury","volume":"8","author":"Shin","year":"2008"},{"key":"b28-0250002","series-title":"J Spinal Disord","first-page":"467","article-title":"The effect of cervical plating on single-level anterior cervical discectomy and fusion","volume":"12","author":"Wang","year":"1999"},{"issue":"1 Suppl","key":"b29-0250002","series-title":"J Neurosurg","first-page":"17","article-title":"Influence of an artificial cervical joint compared with fusion on adjacent-level motion in the treatment of degenerative cervical disc disease","volume":"96","author":"Wigfield","year":"2002"},{"key":"b30-0250002","series-title":"Spine","first-page":"2446","article-title":"The new Frenchay artificial cervical joint: results from a two-year pilot study","volume":"27","author":"Wigfield","year":"2002"},{"key":"b1-0250002","series-title":"J Neurosurg Spine","first-page":"43","article-title":"The impact of minimally invasive cervical spine surgery","volume":"1","author":"Adamson","year":"2004"},{"issue":"1 Suppl","key":"b2-0250002","series-title":"J Neurosurg","first-page":"51","article-title":"Microendoscopic posterior cervical laminoforaminotomy for unilateral radiculopathy: results of a new technique in 100 cases","volume":"95","author":"Adamson","year":"2001"},{"key":"b3-0250002","series-title":"Oper Tech Sports Med","first-page":"96","article-title":"Posterior cervical endoscopic laminoforaminotomy for the treatment of radiculopathy in the athlete","volume":"13","author":"Adamson","year":"2005"},{"key":"b4-0250002","series-title":"J Neurosurg","first-page":"396","article-title":"Anterior cervical fusion by the Smith-Robinson approach","volume":"29","author":"Aronson","year":"1968"},{"key":"b5-0250002","series-title":"Neurosurgery","first-page":"194","article-title":"Fusion around cervical disc prosthesis: case report","volume":"57","author":"Bartels","year":"2005"},{"key":"b6-0250002","series-title":"J Neurosurg Spine","first-page":"403","article-title":"Early results after Prodisc-C cervical disc replacement","volume":"2","author":"Bertagnoli","year":"2005"},{"key":"b7-0250002","series-title":"J Neurosurg Spine","first-page":"5","article-title":"Same-segment and adjacent-segment disease following posterior cervical foraminotomy","volume":"6","author":"Clarke","year":"2007"},{"key":"b8-0250002","series-title":"J Neurosurg","first-page":"602","article-title":"The anterior approach for the removal of ruptured cervical disks","volume":"15","author":"Cloward","year":"1958"},{"key":"b9-0250002","series-title":"J Neurosurg","first-page":"969","article-title":"Revision of anterior cervical pseudoarthrosis with anterior allograft fusion and plating","volume":"86","author":"Coric","year":"1997"},{"key":"b10-0250002","series-title":"J Neurosurg Spine","first-page":"31","article-title":"Prospective randomized controlled study of the Bryan Cervical Disc: early clinical results from a single investigational site","volume":"4","author":"Coric","year":"2006"},{"key":"b11-0250002","series-title":"J Neurosurg","first-page":"943","article-title":"Surgical experience with an implanted artificial cervical joint","volume":"88","author":"Cummins","year":"1998"},{"key":"b12-0250002","series-title":"J Spinal Disord Tech","first-page":"314","article-title":"Biomechanical testing of an artificial cervical joint and an anterior cervical plate","volume":"16","author":"DiAngelo","year":"2003"},{"key":"b13-0250002","series-title":"J Bone Join Surg Am","first-page":"941","article-title":"Anterior cervical decompression and arthrodesis for the treatment of cervical spondylotic myelopathy. Two to seventeen-year follow-up","volume":"80","author":"Emery","year":"1998"},{"key":"b14-0250002","series-title":"Neurosurgery","first-page":"840","article-title":"Preliminary clinical experience with the Bryan cervical disc pros-thesis","volume":"51","author":"Goffin","year":"2002"},{"key":"b15-0250002","series-title":"Spine","first-page":"2673","article-title":"Intermediate follow-up after treatment of degenerative disc disease with the Bryan cervical disc prosthesis: single-level and bi-level","volume":"23","author":"Goffin","year":"2003"},{"key":"b16-0250002","series-title":"Spine","first-page":"1046","article-title":"Complications of cervical spine surgery: a five-year report on a survey of the membership of the Cervical Spine Research Society by the Morbidity and Mortality Committee","volume":"14","author":"Graham","year":"1989"},{"key":"b17-0250002","series-title":"Neurosurgery","first-page":"504","article-title":"Posterior foraminotomy as an exclusive operative technique for cervical radiculopathy: a review of 846 consecutively operated cases","volume":"13","author":"Henderson","year":"1983"},{"key":"b18-0250002","series-title":"Spine","first-page":"1026","article-title":"Surgical management of cervical soft disc herniation: a comparison between the anterior and posterior approach","volume":"15","author":"Herkowitz","year":"1990"},{"key":"b19-0250002","series-title":"J Bone Joint Surg Am","first-page":"519","article-title":"Radiculopathy and myelopathy at segments adjacent to the site of a previous anterior cervical arthrodesis","volume":"81","author":"Hilibrand","year":"1999"},{"key":"b20-0250002","series-title":"Spine","first-page":"399","article-title":"Radiographic changes following anterior cervical fusion","volume":"5","author":"Hunter","year":"1980"},{"key":"b21-0250002","series-title":"Spine","first-page":"670","article-title":"Strain on intervertbral discs after anterior cervical decompression and fusion","volume":"24","author":"Matsunaga","year":"1999"},{"key":"b22-0250002","series-title":"J Neurosurg Spine","first-page":"155","article-title":"The future in the care of the cervical spine: interbody fusion and arthroplasty","volume":"1","author":"Mummaneni","year":"2004"},{"key":"b23-0250002","series-title":"J Neurosurg","first-page":"679","article-title":"Surgical treatment of laterally ruptured cervical disc. Review of 648 cases, 1939 to 1972","volume":"38","author":"Murphey","year":"1973"},{"key":"b24-0250002","series-title":"Neurosurgy","first-page":"379","article-title":"Intradiscal pressure recordings in the cervical spine","volume":"44","author":"Pospiech","year":"1999"},{"key":"b25-0250002","series-title":"Bull Johns Hopkins Hosp","first-page":"223","article-title":"Anterolateral cervical disc removal and interbody fusion for cervical disk syndrome","volume":"96","author":"Robinson","year":"1955"},{"key":"b26-0250002","series-title":"J Spinal Disord Tech","first-page":"307","article-title":"Cervical arthroplasty in the management of spondylotic myelopathy","volume":"16","author":"Sekhon","year":"2003"},{"key":"b27-0250002","series-title":"J Neurosurg Spine","first-page":"39","article-title":"The efficacy of microendoscopic discectomy in reducing iatrogenic muscle injury","volume":"8","author":"Shin","year":"2008"},{"key":"b28-0250002","series-title":"J Spinal Disord","first-page":"467","article-title":"The effect of cervical plating on single-level anterior cervical discectomy and fusion","volume":"12","author":"Wang","year":"1999"},{"issue":"1 Suppl","key":"b29-0250002","series-title":"J Neurosurg","first-page":"17","article-title":"Influence of an artificial cervical joint compared with fusion on adjacent-level motion in the treatment of degenerative cervical disc disease","volume":"96","author":"Wigfield","year":"2002"},{"key":"b30-0250002","series-title":"Spine","first-page":"2446","article-title":"The new Frenchay artificial cervical joint: results from a two-year pilot study","volume":"27","author":"Wigfield","year":"2002"}],"container-title":["Neurosurgical Focus"],"original-title":[],"link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/thejns.org\/view\/journals\/neurosurg-focus\/25\/2\/article-pE2.xml","content-type":"text\/html","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"text-mining"},{"URL":"https:\/\/thejns.org\/downloadpdf\/journals\/neurosurg-focus\/25\/2\/article-pE2.xml","content-type":"text\/html","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"syndication"},{"URL":"https:\/\/thejns.org\/downloadpdf\/journals\/neurosurg-focus\/25\/2\/article-pE2.xml","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2026,5,23]],"date-time":"2026-05-23T08:53:18Z","timestamp":1779526398000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/thejns.org\/view\/journals\/neurosurg-focus\/25\/2\/article-pE2.xml"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2008,8]]},"references-count":60,"journal-issue":{"issue":"2"},"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3171\/foc\/2008\/25\/8\/e2","relation":{},"ISSN":["1092-0684"],"issn-type":[{"value":"1092-0684","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2008,8]]}}}