Is Neck Surgery Right for Me?
If you are experiencing neck pain and have tried non-invasive treatment methods, you may be wondering ‘is neck surgery right for me? First off, talk to your doctor about surgical options. Surgery may be needed if the spinal cord is compressed or there is damage to the nerve roots.
You may need to have surgery if you need the following:
- Remove damaged disc to decompress the nerve root.
- Spinal cord decompression.
- Stabilize the cervical spine.
Before having any surgical procedure, diagnostics testing is always performed. If a person has pain, tingling, or weakness in the arm, surgery may not help.
Common Surgical Procedures used to Treat Neck Pain
Two common types of neck surgeries will help remove a damaged disc. Plus, they will help restore the natural spacing between the vertebrates.
Anterior Cervical Discectomy and Fusion
An anterior cevical discetomy is aka as posterior cervical decompression or a microdiscectomy. This is the most common type of neck surgery. It will remove a disc that is causing pain in the cervical spine. A spine surgeon will do this by entering the front of the neck. This procedure can be used with spinal fusion to help stabilize the area where the disc has been removed.
The surgeon will go in from the back of the neck to remove the disc. And a spinal fusion is not necessary. This surgery will depend on the location or the disc. If the problem area is in the central part of the neck, frontal surgery is the best option.
Artificial Cervical Disc Replacement
Artificial cervical disc replacement is the newest option. The damaged disc is removed and replaced with an artificial one. Therefore, allowing a person to have more mobility in their neck. However, it is practiced by fewer surgeons. An artificial disc replacement is gaining in popularity, although still, not the top procedure performed.
Other Surgery for Spinal Decompression
There may be other surgical options to help with a cervical nerve root or spinal decompression.
Posterior cervical laminectomy will have the surgeon enter from the back of the neck. The lamina, which is the back of the vertebra, will be removed. Therefore, allowing the neck to retain flexibility. And no spinal fusion is necessary.
Posterior Cervical Laminectomy
This surgery is similar to the laminectomy, but the lamina isn’t removed. Instead, it is cut and reconstructed to allow there to be additional space in the spinal canal.
A surgeon will enter the back of the neck. Then, they will remove a small part of the foramen. If there is nerve irritation, though, a herniated disc may be removed. If the irritated area is due to the bone spur, part of the bone may be chiseled away. No fusion is necessary.
Anterior Cervical Corpectomy
An anterior cervical corpectomy will remove at least one vertebral body and the adjacent discs. A bone graph or a cage is inserted to fill up space. A surgeon may fuse the bones together. This is rare, but it is still an option. However, the bone spur cannot involve any type of large manipulation of the spinal cord.
So, Is Neck Surgery Right for Me?
There are many alternatives for neck pain surgical procedures. Get with your surgeon and figure out which is best for your situation.
Are you wondering ‘Is Neck Surgery Right for Me?’ then you may need a neck surgeon. Our practice offers top spine surgeons in the area. So, call us at 888-409-8006 for more information.