Understanding the Cervical Spine Surgery

Learn about cervical spine surgery and how it can alleviate pain and provide spinal stability.

If you or a loved one are evaluating the benefits and outcomes of cervical spine surgery, then you may be interested to explore information regarding the cervical spine surgery success rate. Whether you want to learn more about cervical spine surgery complications or cervical spine surgery recovery, we at Rothman Orthopaedic Institute are here to help.

Maybe it’s time to take a closer look at the surgical process itself–and the condition that necessitates this kind of treatment. Here are some answers to those follow-up questions.

Cervical Radiculopathy: More than Just a Pinched Nerve

Frequently referred to as a pinched nerve, radiculopathy is a common condition that is most often caused by the wear-and-tear degeneration that is associated with aging, or by a herniated disc (caused by spinal injuries). Many patients with this condition may be eligible for cervical spine surgery.

The spinal column contains structures known as discs. These discs can bulge when under pressure, either from injury or degeneration. When the discs bulge toward the spinal canal, they in turn create pressure on the spinal nerve root. Anyone experiencing the symptoms of radiculopathy is already familiar with the unfortunate effects of this spinal pressure: pain in the shoulder, numb and weakened muscles in the extremities, and sensitivity in various parts of the body.

Cervical Spine Surgery Procedure: Decompression, Fusion and Disc Replacement

If you have experienced either severe cervical spine arthritis or a herniated disc and are suffering from these symptoms, you’ll want to seek out treatment whether a nonsurgical solution or cervical spine surgery.

Nonoperative treatments are often successful in treating “pinched nerve pain”. Radiculopathy can be effectively managed using either medication, physical therapy, or a combination of the two. If these methods have been attempted and have proven ineffective, then cervical spine surgery may be an excellent solution.

The most common type of spine surgery to treat radiculopathy are decompression and cervical spine surgery fusion. Decompression involves removing the parts or all of the disc or bone spurs which are causing the nerve to be affected. Without the disc to provide support and cushioning between the vertebrae of the spine, there would be movement and friction which would be problematic.

To prevent this movement, or to correct instability which already exists in the spine, a bone graft will be implanted in the problem area of the spine. After surgery, the bone graft will grow naturally between the vertebrae and form new bone–literally fusing the vertebrae together. This provides lasting strength and stability in the spine while alleviating the discomfort of the radiculopathy.

For patients with a herniated disc and no arthritis in the neck, a disc replacement (artificial disc) might be an option. For these patients, after the disc is removed and the nerve is freed up, an implant of metal and plastic is inserted into the disc space to preserve motion of the decompression.

For a better visual understanding of the process, you can watch a cervical spine surgery video demonstrating the fusion procedure here.

Why Choose Rothman Orthopaedic Institute for Cervical Spine Surgery?

If a doctor recommends cervical spine surgery, Rothman Orthopaedic Institute ensures that you receive the best evidence-based treatment at the lowest cost. Rothman Orthopaedic Institute has some of the top spine specialists in the country. Our surgeons are all fellowship-trained in their field of spine surgery and each performs hundreds of procedures per year.

Talk to your physician about whether cervical spine surgery would be the best treatment option for you. To learn more about the procedure, or to schedule an appointment with one of our specialists, visit us here or contact us at 1-800-321-9999.