A two-dimensional operative video of a midline-sparing para-articular approach for resection of a calcified cervical synovial cyst: A variant of the minimally invasive left C5/C6 foraminotomy

This technical note/video describes a cervical midline-sparing para-articular approach that is largely equivalent to the well-known minimally invasive unilateral cervical medial facetectomy/foraminotomy. One of the differences is the lateral to medial surgical corridor that was established in our case, rather than the standard medial to lateral approach, which would have required more bony removal to access the calcified cyst. In this case, it was successfully utilized to remove a left-sided calcified cervical foraminal synovial cyst at the C5/6 level, while largely preserving the C5/6 facet (and therefore stability), thus avoiding the need for fusion.