Our experience of a left-sided approach to anterior cervical discectomy

Objective: To emphasize the advantages of a left-sided approach compared to opening the cervical region from the right side in patients with cervical disc hernia undergoing surgery for any reason. Method: A total of 10 patients with a history of surgery in the right cervical region were operated on with a left-side approach because of disc hernia at a single cervical level between 2013 and 2018. The patients comprised 6 males and 4 females. Of the whole patient group, 5 had previously undergone surgery for cervical disc hernia, 3 for goitre, 1 with hydrocephalus because the shunt traversed the medial of the distal end of the sternocleidomastoid muscle, and 1 patient who had not been operated on but had goitre of giant dimensions extending to the right. Results: All the patients were diagnosed with cervical disc hernia from MRI findings and neurological examination. The operation of single level cervical disc surgery was performed with an approach from the left in all 10 patients avoiding opening from a recurrence area. No complications developed and the complaints were seen to recover. Conclusions: In the light of previous reports in literature, it can be emphasized that to prevent complications in cervical disc surgery, rather than an approach from a previously operated region, it could be more advantageous to open from the opposite side