Neck Pain Treatment Options (Surgical)

If you are one of the many people suffering from chronic neck pain, you will be in great hands at Connecticut Back Center (CBC). CBC was founded by Jesse Eisler, MD, PhD, in 2005 and serves the Greater Hartford and Central Connecticut area.

Common Causes of Chronic Neck Pain

• Cervical degenerative disc disease
• Cervical osteoarthritis
• Cervical herniated disc
• Cervical spinal stenosis
• Spondylolisthesis
• Deformity
• Trauma

Surgical Treatment Options for Chronic Neck Pain

When conservative treatments do not resolve your neck pain, your specialist may recommend surgery to help alleviate your neck pain. Recommended surgical treatment will depend on your individual situation. Below outlines several of the surgical treatment options for neck pain commonly performed by the surgeons at Connecticut Back Center.

Anterior Cervical Discectomy

Anterior cervical discectomy is a procedure that relieves pressure on nerve roots and/or the spinal cord by a herniated disc or bone spurs. This condition is called neural compression. During this procedure, the spine specialist removes disc material and part of the bone around nerve roots and spinal cord to relieve compressed structures and provide additional space. Discectomy involves removing all or part of an intervertebral disc.

Learn more: Anterior Cervical Discectomy

Anterior Cervical Discectomy w/Fusion

This procedure treats nerve root or spinal cord compression by decompressing the spinal cord and nerve roots with discectomy. Discectomy involves removing a damaged disc to relieve pressure on nerve roots and alleviate pain, weakness, numbness and tingling. Since discectomy is a form of surgical decompression, this procedure has also been called anterior cervical decompression. This procedure has two parts:

1. Anterior cervical discectomy. This procedure involves an anterior approach from the front of the neck (cervical spine). Your spine specialist removes the disc from between two vertebral bones.
2. Fusion. The surgeon performs the fusion surgery at the same time as the discectomy to stabilize the cervical segment of the spine. Fusion involves replacing the disc with bone graft material or implants in order to stabilize and strengthen neck anatomy.

Learn more: Anterior Cervical Discectomy w/Fusion

Cervical Disc Replacement

Artificial cervical disc replacement is a newer process involving the removal of a diseased cervical disc and replacement with an artificial one, while eliminating any disc fragments or bone spurs. Cervical disc replacement is a motion-preservation procedure, not a motion-creation procedure. Patients should not expect the procedure to increase their range of motion, even with a new artificial disc in place. An arthritic joint that did not move before disc replacement probably won’t move any better afterwards. We may recommend cervical disc replacement after conservative treatments, physical therapy, medications, and occasionally spinal injection procedures fail to provide sufficient relief.

Learn more: Cervical Disc Replacement

Foraminotomy

If you have ever suffered from a “pinched nerve” in your neck you know how uncomfortable it can be. We can now treat this condition with a procedure called cervical foraminotomy. During this procedure we enlarge the space where a spinal nerve root exits your cervical spinal canal. This procedure can relieve the symptoms of a pinched nerve.

Learn more: Foraminotomy

Corpectomy

If your cervical (neck) spinal canal becomes narrowed by bone spurs on the back of a vertebral body or the ligament behind a vertebral body, it may be necessary to remove the vertebral body plus the discs above and below it to adequately decompress your spinal cord and nerve roots. This area of compression cannot be addressed by an anterior cervical discectomy and fusion alone. Cervical corpectomy removes a portion of the vertebra and its adjacent intervertebral discs for decompression of the cervical spinal cord and spinal nerves. We then perform a bone graft with or without a metal plate and screws to reconstruct the spine and provide stability.

Learn more: Corpectomy

Laminoplasty

Laminoplasty relieves cervical spinal stenosis pressure immediately by creating more space for the nerve roots and spinal canal. Narrowing the cervical canal can result in difficulty walking, numbness, weakness and pain in your limbs. Left untreated, it can even cause paralysis. That’s why the main goal of laminoplasty is to prevent further damage to your neurologic function.

Learn more: Laminoplasty

If you are one of the many people suffering from neck pain, chronic lower back pain, scoliosis, sciatica or another spine-related condition, you will be in great hands at Connecticut Back Center (CBC). CBC was founded by Jesse Eisler, MD, PhD, in 2005 and with offices in Vernon and Bloomfield, CT serves the Greater Hartford and Central Connecticut area. Our mission is to provide accurate, responsive and effective spinal care with comprehensive non-surgical and surgical treatments for the full spectrum of spinal disorders. Our goal is always to reduce your pain, increase your flexibility and help you resume an active life after treatment. To learn more about your treatment options, give us a call at (860) 253-2714 or request an appointment online now.