Improving Cervical Spine Alignment and Intervertebral Foramen Expansion Using a Novel Distally Expanding Cervical Facet Implant for Cervical Degenerative Disease

"The patients will be managed according to the current practice for posterior cervical spine surgical approaches regarding patient positioning, surgical exposure, and neural decompression. The patients will be positioned prone with the head in a Mayfield headrest, All patients will be monitored using intraoperative motor evoked potentials (MEP) and somatosensory evoked potentials (SSEP). Intra-operative X-rays (antero-posterior and lateral) will be used to identify the index cervical level and to guide facet preparation and CeLFI insertion. Exposure of the posterior surface of the lateral mass at the index level of the cervical spine will be done either through a midline open technique or para-midline; inter-muscular approach (MIS). The facet joint-space (FJS) will be opened using a monopolar cautery with careful attention to preserve the joint's capsule on the lateral and medial boundaries.~The FJS will be prepared using sequential dilators; designed for this purpose. Each dilator me"