Cervical spine surgery
Cervical spine surgery is generally performed on an elective basis to treat either:
The two actions are often combined, as a decompression may de-stabilize the spine and generate the need for a fusion to add solidity. Spinal instrumentation can also be used to help add stability to the spinal construct.
Posterior Cervical Foraminotomy and Microdissection
This is a procedure performed at the back your neck; makes a small incision in the midline of your neck and performs a plainly invasive muscle dissection to expose the level of where your nerve or spinal cord is compressed. This operation involves creating a window between two vertebrae. The foraminotomy is made over a nerve root to alleviate pressure on your nerve. The nerve may be trapped by bone overgrowth or spurs or there may be a disc protrusion which is pressing on the nerve. Foraminotomy can be done with an endoscope or a microscope. If the disc fragment is detached this process is called a microdiscectomy.