11  Imaging of Postoperative Spine			529
11.2.3\ Facetectomy		would be performed if an extra­	-foraminal
		decompression and approach is required.
11.2.3.1\	Discussion	Various approaches can be used, including
Facetectomy is mainly performed as part of		endoscopic, intertransverse, extra-foraminal,
treating far lateral disc herniations, facet hyper-		and transpars techniques. The degree of bony
trophy, and limbus vertebral fractures.		resection is best appreciated on CT, while MRI
Facetectomy can essentially be performed as		is optimal for the assessment of nerve root
partial (usually medial) or total (Gil’s proce-		decompression (Figs. 11.9 and 11.10). Scar tis-
dure). At	times, a partial lateral facetectomy	sue often fills the facetectomy defect.

a

b

Fig. 11.9  Partial facetectomy. Preoperative axial CT image (a) shows bilateral facet degenerative changes. Postoperative axial CT image (b) shows resection of the medial aspects of the bilateral facet joints

Fig. 11.10  Total facetectomy. Axial CT shows complete absence of the right facet joint (*)