When the part of the spine that runs through the neck--called the cervical spine--becomes damaged, patients can experience pain, tingling and numbness in their arms, shoulders and hands, which are connected to nerve roots in the cervical spine. For conditions in which cervical spine surgery is an option, undergoing one of these procedures may relieve nerve pressure and stabilize the spinal cord. However, as with any spinal surgery, there is always a risk of complications.
Anterior or Posterior Cervical Decompression
By removing bulging spinal discs that are pressing on the spinal cord through decompression surgery, doctors can release some or all of the unwanted pressure on the spinal cord. Surgeons may perform an anterior decompression, which means entering through the front of the neck, or a posterior decompression, by entering through the back of the neck; the entry point depends on which area makes the most sense for accessing the injured region. Complications of cervical decompression can include damage to the spinal cord, trachea, esophagus or nerve roots; bleeding; infection; and swallowing or speech disturbance, according to Spine-Health.com.
Anterior or Posterior Cervical Spinal Fusion
By permanently joining two or more vertebrae together through cervical spinal fusion, doctors use bone grafts to eliminate motion in a certain area and create enough space for the spinal cord and nerve roots. Spinal fusion is often done in conjunction with decompression surgery, says Spine-Health.com, to stabilize the spine after damaged discs have been removed. Complications of spinal fusion surgery may include spinal cord injury; bone graft movement or improper/incomplete fusion; hardware such as metal plates, rods and screws used to hold the spine in place breaking; infection; bleeding; and persistent pain or discomfort, according to the University of Maryland Spine Program.
Cervical Corpectomy
Cervical corpectomy involves removing the damaged discs and the vertebrae that are putting pressure on the spinal cord. This surgery is most often associated with cervical stenosis, a condition in which bone spurs or arthritis form on the cervical vertebrae and put pressure on the spinal cord. After neurosurgeons remove everything that has been negatively affecting the spinal cord, they will usually usually fill the empty space with a structural graft, such as a piece of the patient's own bone, cadaver bone or artificial bone material. Complications of cervical corpectomy can include damage to the spinal cord, trachea, esophagus or nerve roots; bleeding; infection; graft dislodgement; continued pain; paralysis; stroke; or cervical spine instability, says Spine-Health.com.
Cervical Laminectomy and Laminoplasty
A cervical laminectomy and a similar procedure called a cervical laminoplasty focus on creating more room for the spinal cord within the neck. In a laminectomy, surgeons remove a bony arch called the lamina from the vertebra; they may also remove any other bony protrusions that may be pressing on the spinal cord. In a laminoplasty, doctors will hinge the lamina open without completely removing it. Complications of either surgery, Spine-Health.com says, may include spinal column instability, increased pain, dural tear, infection and bleeding.
