Abstract:[Objective] To compare the clinical efficacy of posterior cervical unilateral open-door laminoplasty (ODL) versus posterior cervical total laminectomy with lateral mass screw fixation (CTL) for the treatment of cervical spondylotic myelopathy (CSM). [Methods] A retrospective study was performed on 66 patients who underwent posterior decompression surgeries for CSM from March 2019 to December 2021. According to doctor-patient communication, 33 patients underwent ODL, while the remaining 33 patients received CTL. The perioper- ative, follow-up and imaging documents were compared between the two groups. [Results] There were no significant differences in operation time, blood loss, incision length, intraoperative fluoroscopy times, incision healing grade, postoperative walking time and hospital stay be- tween the two groups (P<0.05). The incidence of C5 nerve root paralysis in the ODL group was significantly lower than that in CTL group (6.1% vs 27.3%, P=0.022), nevertheless, there was no a significant difference in the incidence of axial symptoms between the two groups postoperatively (24.2% vs 15.2%, P=0.357). As time went during the follow-up period lasted for more than 12 months, the JOA and NDI scores, as well as pyramidal tract sign significantly improved in both groups (P<0.05), which were not statistically significant between the two groups at any time points accordingly (P>0.05). Radiographically, the cervical lordotic angle remained unchanged significantly (P>0.05), while the cervical range of motion (ROM) significantly decreased (P<0.05), and the minimal sagittal diameter of spinal canal significantly in- creased in both groups postoperatively compared with those preoperatively (P<0.05). There was no significant difference in cervical lordotic angle and cervical ROM between the two groups before surgery (P>0.05). The ODL group had significantly greater cervical ROM than the CTL group [(39.5±7.8)° vs (12.6±1.9)°, P<0.05], but the former had significantly less cervical lordotic angle than the latter [(17.9±9.8)° vs (21.4±7.9)°, P<0.05], and there was no significant difference in minimal sagittal diameter of spinal canal between the two groups at the latest follow-up (P>0.05). [Conclusion] Both posterior decompression procedures do improve the neurological function. By comparison, the ODL has advantages of decreasing loss of ROM and reducing the incidence of postoperative C5 nerve root paralysis, while CTL had benefit of re- ducing loss of cervical lordotic angle and maintaining cervical stability.