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What is Cervical Fusion

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If you suffer from neck pain, it could be due to a variety of factors including:

  • Degenerative changes that occur in the intervertebral discs of the cervical spine and the joints between each vertebra.
  • Injury to parts of the spine.
  • Complications of earlier surgery.

The vast majority of people who have neck problems do not require any surgery. However, if conservative treatments such as medicine and physical therapy fail to control your pain, your physician may recommend a Cervical Fusion, also known as a Cervical Spinal Fusion.

What is a Cervical Fusion – and Why?

Cervical Fusion is a surgical procedure that joins selected bones in the neck (cervical spine)

Common reasons why a Cervical Fusion may be recommended by your physician include:

  • After an injury, Cervical Fusion can stabilize the neck and prevent a bone fracture from causing instability or damage to the spinal cord.
  • To treat conditions including misalignment of the vertebrae.
  • As a follow-up procedure to treat spinal stenosis, which is a narrowing of spaces in the spine (backbone) that results in pressure on the spinal cord and/or nerve roots.
  • To treat a herniated disc, the effects of rheumatoid arthritis, an infection, tumors, or spinal deformities.

Cervical Fusion can provide permanent pain relief along the cervical area by relieving nerve pressure that may be causing the pain. The procedure can also lead to reduced wear and tear of the cervical spine, resulting in reduced chances that another surgery will be needed.

The Procedure
Cervical Fusion can be performed through an incision on the front (anterior) or back (posterior) of the neck. Done with general anesthesia, your surgeon will make a small incision to expose the cervical spine. A bone graft will be placed between the affected vertebrae to join them.
Once the bone graft is in place, the surgeon may use plates, screws and rods so the spine won’t move. The added stability provided by the plates, screws and rods help the spine heal faster -with a higher rate of success.

Recovery
A minimum of three months is needed for the bones to fuse together and become solid. Your doctor may have you wear a neck brace during this period to keep your spine still and make sure the bones fuse properly.

As with any surgery, consult with your physician to make sure you’re comfortable with both the risks and the benefits of the procedure planned for your treatment. Contact Eminent Medical Center for more information!

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