Cervical Fusion – Anterior and Posterior
An anterior cervical fusion is performed through an incision in the front of the neck. Our doctors perform this procedure to remove pressure from nerve roots on the spinal cord caused by bone spurs or a herniated disc. Removing pressure from the nerve roots or spinal cord can ease arm pain and also help improve problems from pressure on the nerves, such as numbness or weakness in the arm or difficulty walking. In addition, fusion of the problem vertebrae reduces mechanical pain caused from too much motion in the spinal segment.
During the spinal fusion surgery, human or synthetic bone graft is placed into the spaces between two vertebrae. In time, this added bone "fuses" to the vertebrae and hardens like regular bone. The vertebrae are further secured with screws and metal rods.
Posterior cervical fusion is done through the back (posterior) of the neck. The surgery joins two or more neck vertebrae into one solid section of bone. Posterior cervical fusion is most commonly used to treat neck fractures and dislocations and to fix deformities in the curve of the neck.