Stamford
Neck surgery is an ideal neck pain treatment option, especially when non-invasive treatments such as physical therapy do not effectively resolve the issue. Some conditions, such as herniated discs, neck injury, degenerative disc disease, and spinal stenosis, typically do not respond well to non-invasive treatments. In most cases, your doctor may recommend neck surgery.
Orthopedic neck surgery in Stamford, CT, is performed by experienced and board-certified orthopedic specialists, neurologists, and neurosurgeons for the best possible outcomes. Below is everything you need to know about orthopedic neck surgery, including the types of neck surgery available and what to expect during recovery.
There are different neck surgery options available. An orthopedic specialist will recommend a specific option based on factors such as the cause of the neck pain. They may also recommend based on your preference. Some of these options include:
Cervical spinal fusion is ideal when motion causes pain in part of your neck or it’s unstable. It is also a good option if you have a severe cervical fracture, a compressed spinal cord, or a pinched nerve. This surgical treatment joins two broken vertebrae into a single bone.
This surgery starts with an incision at the back or front of your neck, based on the nature of your neck injury. A bone graft from you or a donor is placed in the affected area. These bone grafts are usually taken from the hip bone.
The surgeon will then insert screws to join the vertebrae. These vertebrae will then grow together and stabilize with time. However, your neck’s range of motion may decrease after this process.
Orthopedic surgeons recommend this surgical option to treat a pinched nerve or compressions on the spinal cord. They start with an incision at the front part of your neck. They will then remove the bone spurs or disks that pressure the spinal cord or nerve. Finally, they will perform a spinal fusion to stabilize the neck.
This process is similar to anterior cervical discectomy and fusion, but it involves the removal of the entire front area of the vertebrae body rather than the disks. It usually leaves a space that the surgeon fills with small bone pieces and stabilizes with spinal fusion. This makes this process more involved, leading to a more recovery time than anterior cervical discectomy and fusion.
Orthopedic surgeons may also use laminectomy to reduce the pressure on your spinal cord. It also starts with making an incision at the back of the neck. However, this procedure differs from the above, as the surgeons will remove the lamina or bony, rigid part of the vertebrae rather than the disc. It also involves removing ligaments or bone spurs that pressure the spinal cord or nerve.
This procedure allows more spinal cord space, although it may make it less stable. That’s why most people who undertake this procedure need a spinal fusion to stabilize the neck.
Orthopedic surgeons use this procedure as an alternative to laminectomy. They will still make an incision at the back of your neck, but in this surgical option, they will make a door-like hinge instead of removing the lamina. This hinge can also open up the lamina to ease the pressure on the spinal cord. Finally, they will insert metal implants to stabilize the hinges.
Your orthopedic surgeon may prefer this surgical option to treat a pinched nerve. It starts with an incision at the front of the neck, removing the disk that pressures your nerve, and inserting an artificial implant. These implants are usually metallic or a metal and plastic combination.
This option allows a better range of motion and flexibility to the neck. However, it’s not best suited for people with:
Meet with your Stamford neck surgeons to help determine which procedure may work best for you.
Doctors don’t recommend orthopedic neck surgeries often unless other conservative methods don’t treat your neck pain. However, once they recommend this option, you will have different options based on the nature of the pain.
It would be best to work with a reliable neck pain surgeon for the best results. If you’re looking for the best orthopedic neck surgery specialists in Stamford, CT, look no further than CT Spine & Orthopedic. Our Stamford neck surgery specialists will thoroughly assess your neck pain, discuss your surgery options, and offer the best treatment options. For more information about us, please don’t hesitate to contact us today at (866) 553-0612 or complete our online form, and we’ll get back to you as soon as possible.
