Although cervical spondylotic myelopathy (CSM) is one of the mostcommon spinal disorders, its natural history, path physiology, and optimaltreatment are controversial. Cord compression is well recognized in associationwith CSM, but dynamic factors have increasingly been studied. Cervicallaminectomy relieves cord compression but does not address these dynamicforces and may have a deleterious effect on long-term outcome if it leads tokyphosis or instability. Cervical laminectomy with fixation has been evaluated ina few studies; this prospective study was conducted to evaluate the risks, clinicalcharacteristics, and functional and radiographic outcomes for a select group ofpatients with CSM who underwent cervical laminectomies alone or withposterior lateral mass fixation.