Soft cervical disc herniation: a retrospective study of 100 cases.

During the period from January 1975 to January 1991, 100 patients with soft cervical disc herniation were operated on by either the anterior (84 patients) or posterior (16 patients) approach. There were 33 women and 67 men, aged from 25 to 67 years (average: 41.5%); 97% presented with radicular symptoms and/or signs while 15% presented with long tract symptoms and/or signs. The patients were evaluated by computed tomography and/or myelography. Thirty-six of the lesions occurred at the C 5/6 level and 54% at the C 6/7 level. Seventy-seven % reported total or partial relief of preoperative symptoms and signs postoperatively. Patients presenting with radiculopathy had better outcome than those presenting with combined radicular and spinal cord involvement.