Fig. 5

Discectomy and laminectomy. A disc herniation (thin arrow) at the C6-7 level is demonstrated on sagittal T2W preoperative MR image (a). Discectomy with laminectomy and flavectomy (arrows) were performed, as shown on axial GRE MRI (b) and CT image in bone window (c). Note that there is a larger resection area (dashed line) compared to laminotomy (Fig. 3B). A larger disc herniation (arrowhead) in another patient at the T8-9 level is shown on a sagittal T2W preoperative MR image (d). To gain a greater exposure to the vertebral canal, a discectomy using the laminectomy with medial facetectomy technique (asterisk) was performed, as demonstrated on the sagittal CT reformat (e). This procedure comprises in removal of the lamina and a partial resection of the facet joint