All you need to know about Cervical Spine Surgery

Cervical spine is composed of seven vital bones which are referred to as ‘spinal vertebrae’. They are separated and held together by ligaments known as ‘discs’.  These discs are stuffed with a soft gel-like substance that protects and cushions our neck. They provide range of motion to neck and keep it flexible. Any instability that results in neck or back pain is said to be a cervical spine disorder. Prevalence of cervical spine disorders in adults is increasing day-by-day. Majority of working professionals experience cervical problems like neck and radiating arm pain at some point. According to latest health survey, cervical problem affects two-third of the worldwide population. Spine or neurosurgeons usually treat the symptoms with medications and physical therapy. However, if these treatment options fail to alleviate the pain, then cervical spine surgery may prove favorable.

Are You a Candidate for Cervical Spine Surgery?

Not all patients with spinal conditions are suitable candidates for cervical spine surgery. Enlisted below are some conditions that makes you a suitable candidate for the surgery:

• Chronic Back and Neck Pain - When patients are experiencing severe back and neck pain from a prolonged period of time.
• Failed Conservative Treatments - Patients who have tried conservative treatment methods like medications and physical therapy and did not achieve pain relief.
• Poor Quality of Life - When neck or back pain has become a hurdle in living a normal life.
  
  Patients with the following conditions may not be suitable candidates for the surgery:
  
  
• Severe Infection - Patients who are suffering from severe infection are not usually considered to be suitable for undergoing cervical spine surgery.
• Underlying Medical Conditions - Patients suffering from dreadful diseases like cancer, cardiovascular problems and liver problems are required to undergo a complete medical checkup first. These illnesses may create complications during surgery. Therefore, patients should discuss these problems with spine surgeons in the beginning.

Surgical Options for Cervical Spine Disorders

The enumerated points elaborate the most common and highly effective cervical spine surgery procedures.

• Artificial Cervical Disc Replacement - Also known as ‘total disc arthroplasty’, artificial cervical disc replacement is a surgical intervention used to replace the damaged cervical disc with an artificial disc for restoring range of movement of cervical vertebrae. It prominently treats the harsh neck and arm pain that has not responded to conservative methods.
• Anterior Cervical Discectomy and Fusion - This procedure involves removing impaired cervical disc and fusing spinal vertebrae for preserving stability and relieving agonizing pain. It alleviates pain in nerve roots and aligns the spine properly.

Depending on patient’s medical history and overall health status, neurosurgeons will decide a suitable surgery.

Risks and Complications Associated with Cervical Spine Surgery

As with any type of procedure, there are certain risks and complications involved with cervical spine surgery. Some of the most commonly observed complications following a cervical spine procedure are explained below.

• Heavy Bleeding
• Severe infection
• Neck pain
• Fever or headache
• Tingling sensation in neck
• Damage to esophagus or vocal cords
• Adverse reaction to anesthesia
• Damage to spinal cord and nerves
• Blood clots
• Poor wound healing

Patients should reach out for a prompt medical treatment if they experience these issues. These complications can be handled smoothly under the guidance of an experienced surgeon.

Major Benefits of Cervical Spine Surgery

Cervical spine surgery may help patients to get rid of neck and back pain completely. In addition to this, it provides the following benefits:

• Proper alignment of spine
• Significantly improved chronic neck and back pain
• Stabilizes spine
• Faster recovery
• Enhances mobility of spine

Cervical spine surgery cost in western countries like Australia and United Kingdom is extremely high. Whereas, patients can avail highly reliable spine surgery in India at economical prices. India offers finest spine surgeries and treatments to international patients at just a fraction of total amount which other developed nations may charge.

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Evolution of Neck and Back Surgery

The primary purpose of neck or back surgery is to correct an anatomical lesion in individuals who fail to show enhancement with conservative, that is, non – surgical treatment. Surgery isn’t an option for those patients whose anatomical lesion accounting for their pain cannot be identified. Surgery is useful only if there is a need to change the patients’ anatomy. Like for example, to remove disc herniation. There is no particular reason to consider an exploratory surgery to look for a source of pain. An unsuccessful conservative treatment is itself a sign for surgery. A noticeable anatomic lesion is also necessary.

Evolution in Spine Surgery

Present – day spine surgery has made major developments in both spinal implants and technique over the past couple of decades, but even until today the most remarkable progress in spine surgery has been better pre – operative imaging techniques, which have been greatly improved the ability of the surgeons to spot accurately and correct an anatomic lesion as a source of pain.

Definitely, MRI scan (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) has transformed back surgery. It is the most frequent and the best test to recognize an anatomical lesion responsible for the patient’s problem. The most vital factor in the resolution of the success in spine surgery is proper pre – operative diagnosis. Without an appropriate pre – operative diagnosis, even the most technically successful operations have a little chance for a successful result.

Though spine surgery is done by either neurosurgeons or orthopedic surgeons, it is more and more becoming a field unto itself. Many surgeons are doing extra specialized training in the field after their residency training. Given the precision needed for these more demanding surgical techniques, many neurosurgeons or orthopedic surgeons with fellowship training are choosing to concentrate more of their practice on spine surgery. Some trust that the increased level of special training and concentration on the spine have donated to enhancements in surgical techniques, which in turn have led to overall better success rates and minimized morbidity with many types of spine surgeries. For example, the reduced post – operative discomfort.

Objective of Spine Surgery 

Spine surgery is generally an elective undertaking, which means that it is observed as a possible approach to increase a patient’s ability to function and reduce pain. Anyhow, just because spine surgery is elective doesn’t mean that it is not covered by insurance. Elective surgery may be medically necessary. ‘Elective’ means that the surgery of spine is seldom an absolute necessity. Only in exceptional instances, like for patients who have a progressive neurological loss of function or sudden start of bladder or bowel incontinence, is spinal surgery is actually mandatory on an emergency basis.

Spine surgery can basically achieve three tasks:

1. Decompress the spinal cord or a nerve root.
2. Stabilize a painful or an unstable segment with spinal fusion surgery.
3. Reduce a distortion (for e.g. scoliosis surgery in the thoracic spine).

Spine surgery isn’t done for exploration. The source of a patient’s pain isn’t readily apparent with exploring and opening the spine. The pre – operative evaluation and imaging results are what identifies the problem and guide the diagram of the procedure. 

For details on Spine Surgery Techniques and Cost in India, Contact Us at info@travcure.com

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