Figure 2.

A properly positioned patient for laminoplasty. The Mayfield head holder is used to position the neck in a neutral or slightly flexed alignment. Care is taken to pad the knees, legs, and abdomen. Note that the patient is placed in reverse Trendelenburg position such that the orientation of the cervical spine is roughly parallel to the floor, with flexion of the knees to ensure the patient does not migrate caudally. The popliteal fossa should be examined to ensure the calf muscles are not excessively tense. The shoulders are taped and the arms are tucked to facilitate soft tissue tension and X-ray acquisition.