Table 1.

Selection criteria for trial eligibility

Inclusion criteria
	• Age 18-75 years
	• Radicular signs and symptoms in one or both arms (i.e., pain, paresthesia or paresis in a specific nerve root distribution) or symptoms and signs of acute or chronic myelopathy
	• At least 8 weeks prior conservative treatment (i.e., physical therapy, pain medication)
	• Radiographic diagnosis of cervical disc herniation and/or osteophyte at 1 level (C3-C4 to C7-T1) in accordance with clinical signs and symptoms
	• Ability and willingness to comply with project requirements
	• Written informed consent given by the subject or the subject's legally authorised representative
Exclusion criteria
	• Previous cervical surgery (either anterior or posterior)
	• Increased motion on dynamic studies (> 3 mm)
	• Severe segmental kyphosis of the involved disc level (> 7 degrees)
	• Patient cannot be imaged with MRI
	• Neck pain only (without radicular or medullary symptoms)
	• Infection
	• Metabolic and bone diseases (osteoporosis, severe osteopenia)
	• Neoplasm or trauma of the cervical spine
	• Spinal anomaly (Klippel Feil, Bechterew, OPLL)
	• Severe mental or psychiatric disorder
	• Inadequate Dutch language
	• Planned (e)migration abroad in the year after inclusion