Cervical Disc Replacement Surgery
What is Cervical Disc Replacement?
The cervical spine is located in the neck region and consists of seven bones arranged one on top of the other. Cushioning tissue called vertebral discs located between the vertebrae act as shock absorbers, allowing easy movement of the neck. Wear and tear and advancing age can damage these discs, leading to pain and disability. Artificial cervical disc replacement surgery is a procedure where the damaged intervertebral disc is removed and replaced with an artificial implant made of metal and plastic. The surgery relieves symptoms of a pinched nerve in the neck as well as restores normal range of motion of the neck.
Why is Cervical Disk Replacement Surgery needed?
Cervical disc replacement surgery is an alternative to the traditional cervical spine fusion surgery, which involves the permanent fusion of two vertebral bodies, eliminating movement between them. Artificial cervical disc replacement is usually indicated when conservative treatments do not help relieve the following:
- Neck pain traveling down into the shoulder, arm, or hand, weakness or numbness of the arms and legs.
- Difficulty in walking.
Contraindications
Artificial cervical disc replacement is contraindicated in the presence of rheumatoid arthritis, pregnancy, morbid obesity, significant osteoporosis or an active malignancy, insulin-dependent diabetes and allergies to stainless steel. It is also not recommended in patients who have significant arthritis in the discs and joints of the neck.
What happens during Cervical Disk Replacement Surgery?
- Disc replacement is a minimally invasive, motion sparing procedure that is also an option in certain patients who have symptoms of a pinched nerve in the neck.
- This procedure is similar to an ACDF in that the cervical spine is accessed through the front of the neck through a 2-inch incision, the disc is removed in a similar fashion, but instead of placing bone graft where the disc was, a metal and plastic device is placed in the disc space to preserve the motion at that level.
- Research seems to suggest that patients are able to return to their normal activities slightly faster than an ACDF procedure as there is no need to wait for the bone to fully heal with a disc replacement.
- After surgery, patients are placed in a cervical collar to give extra support and stability. Patients are seen back in the doctor’s office at 3 weeks after surgery to check the incision and x-rays. If all looks good, the patient will be allowed to progress activities as tolerated.
What are the Risks of Cervical Disk Replacement Surgery?
- No surgery is without risk, and neck surgery does carry some significant risks, but fortunately these risks are uncommon. The most common risks that nearly all patients should expect after this type of procedure is having trouble swallowing and a hoarse voice. These symptoms do resolve in nearly all patients within a few weeks after the surgery.
- Other less common risks include, but are not limited to bleeding, infection, injury to surrounding structures (vessels, nerves, esophagus, trachea), spinal cord injury leading to paralysis (partial or complete – temporary or permanent), spinal fluid leakage, need for further surgery, hoarseness, difficulty swallowing.
Advantages of Cervical Disc Replacement
The advantages of artificial cervical disc replacement include:
- Maintains normal neck motion
- May lower the risk of degeneration of adjacent segments
- Does not require a bone graft
- Allows early neck motion after surgery
- Faster return to daily activities
Why Cervical Disc Replacement Surgery with Dr. Christopher Kowalski?
Cervical disc replacement is an excellent treatment option for cervical radiculopathy. Dr. Kowalski is an expert at cervical disc replacement and has performed many of these procedures with excellent patient outcomes. His ability to evaluate and correctly diagnose cervical radiculopathy, as well as formulate a patient-specific treatment plan, instills the utmost confidence from his patients and follows the strictest international spine guidelines of excellence.