Spinal endoscopy combined with ACDF for the treatment of herniated disc degeneration and adjacent vertebral body osteophyte formation: A case report

Background: Cervical disc degeneration with adjacent vertebral body osteophyte formation is not uncommon in clinical practice, and existing surgical methods involve incomplete resection of the posterior osteophyte of the vertebral body and incomplete decompression, which may affect the surgical outcomes. Case presentation This report describes a case of intervertebral disc degeneration with adjacent vertebral body osteophyte formation treated with spinal endoscopy combined with anterior cervical discectomy and implant fusion (ACDF) that achieved good clinical results. A 50-year-old man presented with pain in the neck and shoulder radiating to the left upper extremity and finger numbness. Cervical computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging showed a posteriorly protruding C5/6 intervertebral disc and osteophyte formation on the margins of the C5/6 vertebrae. He underwent spinal endoscopy combined with ACDF, which achieved a favorable clinical outcome. Conclusion: Spinal endoscopy combined with ACDF has remarkable advantages in treating patients with herniated disc degeneration and adjacent vertebral body osteophyte formation, which is worthy of clinical promotion.