Endoscope-assisted Anterior Cervical Discectomy and Fusion for the Treatment of Cervical Spondylotic Myelopathy

Cervical spondylotic myelopathy (CSM) is a common cause of cervical spinal cord disease. Spinal endoscopy offers surgical advantages such as a magnified view and a water-mediated clear surgical field. This study describes an endoscope-assisted anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF) procedure. The addition of spinal endoscopy to traditional ACDF surgery magnifies the surgical field and allows for more precise operations, thereby improving surgical safety. Postoperatively, patients experienced significant improvements in neurological function, with no complications such as dysphagia, hematoma, or spinal cord injury. Postoperative imaging revealed that spinal cord compression was completely relieved, with sufficient decompression of the spinal cord and optimal placement of the fusion cage. The clear visual field provided by spinal endoscopy improves the identification of cervical anatomical structures during surgery, effectively reducing the risk of injury to the spinal cord and nerves. Endoscope-assisted ACDF has demonstrated excellent clinical and radiological outcomes in the treatment of CSM.