Degenerative cervical myelopathy (DCM) is a spectrum of disorders that involve extrinsic spinal cord compression leading to neurologic dysfunction, including intervertebral disk herniation, cervical

spondylotic myelopathy (CSM), ossified posterior longitudinal ligament (OPLL) and hypertrophy of the ligamentum flavum [1] It is the first cause of non-traumatic spinal cord injury with a prevalence of 2.3% [2].

Over 70% of individuals aged ≥65 years exhibit pathological or radiological evidence of cervical degenerative disease, and around 25% of these people develop symptoms of spinal cord compression [3]. Natural history of DCM is not well established with 3–62% rate of neurological deterioration over 2.5–8 years [4]. Management of DCM falls into 2 classes: Non-operative and operative [5].

When surgery is proposed, its aim is decompression with or without fusion of the spinal column.

It is performed from anterior and/or posterior approach depending on the number of levels involved, and the anatomical elements responsible of the spinal cord compression. Common anterior approach surgeries include discectomy and fusion (ACDF), corpectomy and fusion, and arthroplasty, while laminectomy with or without fusion and laminoplasty are used for posterior surgery [6].

We describe here the “Bevel drilling” technique for ACDF.