Anterior endoscopic cervical discectomy (AECD) is a surgical procedure
born in the era of minimally invasive spine surgery. A cervical discectomy through a 4
mm incision, in skilled hands, can be an ambulatory outpatient procedure where the
patient may be discharged the same day from the surgical facility. Recent advances in
video-endoscopic equipment and decompression tools have facilitated endoscopic
spinal surgery techniques to common soft disc herniations in the cervical spine. The
authors review the procedural steps of the procedure and position it as a motion
preservation surgery that may alleviate radicular symptoms in the upper extremities
that have not responded to non-operative care. Unrelenting arm pain in the younger
patient with early degeneration of the cervical spine motion segments may be the most
appropriate indication for the AECD. Procedural details and outcomes from a clinical
series are reviewed to illustrate technical pearls and postoperative problems common to
the procedure – with segmental kyphosis and vertical collapse of the disc space being
the most relevant – if not carried out with attention to detail.
Keywords: Anatomy cervical spine, Anterior endoscopy, Cervical disc
herniation.
