Comparison of posterior foraminotomy and anterior foraminotomy with fusion for treating spondylotic foraminal stenosis of the cervical spine: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial (ForaC)

Table 3 Visit plan

	Pre-operation	Intra-operation	Post-operation, 3 days	Discharge	3 months (±2 weeks)	6 months (±1 month)	12 months (±2 months)	24 months (±2 months)	36 and 48 months (±2 months)	60 months (±2 months)
Informed consent	×	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Pre-operative history	×	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Randomization	×	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
American Society of Anesthesiologists grade	×	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Operative detail	-	×	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Clinical evaluation: neurological status, pain medication consumption	×	-	×	-	×	×	×	×	×	×
Patient self-assessment: Neck Disability Index, Core Outcome Measures Index, Short Form-12 (SF-12) questionnaire	×	-	×	-	×	×	×	×	×	×
Quantitative sensory testing	×	-	-	-	-	×	×	-	-	-
Schedule of radiographic studies
Neutral, lateral and anterior-posterior	×	×	-	-	×	×	×	×	-	-
Flexion or extension	×	-	-	-	×	×	×	×	-	×
Computed tomography	×	-	×	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Magnetic resonance imaging	×	-	-	-	×	-	-	×	-	×
Economic data collection
Hospitalization costs	-	-	-	×	-	-	-	-	-	-
Post-hospitalization costs	-	-	-	-	×	×	×	×	×	×

ISSN: 1745-6215