Cervical Spine Facet Joint Foraminotomy orthopaedic surgery 3D animations. The inter-vertebral foramina are the two tunnels between adjacent vertebra that allow the spinal nerves to leave the spinal canal and pass to the rest of the body. The width of this tunnel can be decreased by degenerative disc collapse, facet joint or vertebral body osteophytes, or inter-vertebral disc herniation. The decreased tunnel size can compress the spinal nerve and cause shoulder, arm or hand pain, paresthesia, weakness or numbness.

A foraminotomy is a minimally invasive procedure that enlarges the intervertebral foramen by removing the roof of the tunnel, and any other tissue seen pressing on the spinal nerve. The thick neck muscles cover and protect the nerve after the small amount of bone is removed. Cervical Spine Facet Joint Foraminotomy orthopaedic surgery 3D animations.