Cervical spinal stenosis is a condition that can cause pain, sensory disturbances, and motor deficits due to the compression of neural structures in the cervical spine. While conservative treatments such as physical therapy and pain management can help some patients, others with persistent neurological deficits may require surgical intervention. Traditional surgical approaches, including anterior decompression and posterior open surgery, have proven effective but carry risks such as vascular or nerve injuries and postoperative pain. This study evaluates a minimally invasive surgical approach called Posterior Uniportal Endoscopic Cervical Decompression as an alternative to traditional methods for patients with cervical spinal stenosis. The main objective is to assess changes in neurological deficits and disability related to cervical pain following this procedure. The study will also document hospitalization duration, surgical time, blood loss, and the incidence of postoperative complications. This multicenter, prospective case series will recruit 50 patients from three medical centers in Mexico. Participants must have symptomatic cervical spinal stenosis that persists despite at least three months of conservative treatment. Eligible patients will undergo Posterior Uniportal Endoscopic Cervical Decompression, a technique that allows precise nerve decompression through a small incision, minimizing damage to surrounding tissues. Standardized clinical assessment tools, including the modified Japanese Orthopaedic Association (mJOA) scale, Neck Disability Index (NDI), and Visual Analog Scale (VAS) for pain, will be used to evaluate outcomes at multiple time points over 12 months. By comparing patients' preoperative and postoperative evaluations, the study aims to determine whether Posterior Uniportal Endoscopic Cervical Decompression effectively improves neurological function and reduces disability while maintaining a favorable safety profile. Findings from this study could support the adoption of minimally invasive endoscopic techniques as a viable option for treating cervical spinal stenosis, potentially leading to faster recovery times and reduced surgical complications compared to traditional methods.
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Change in Cervical Disability (Neck Disability Index)
Timeframe: Baseline; 1 month, 3 months, 6 months, and 12 months postoperatively.
Change in Neurological Function (Modified Japanese Orthopaedic Association Score)
Timeframe: Baseline; 1 month, 3 months, 6 months, and 12 months postoperatively.