Cervical spine surgery can effectively treat damage to the part of the spinal cord that runs through the neck. But while cervical spine surgery may relieve nerve pressure and strengthen and align the spinal cord, it may also result in a host of side effects that are important to consider before deciding to undergo it.
Persistent Pain
Cervical spine surgery won't necessarily solve the problems caused by cervical spine damage, cautions the Mayo Clinic. The pain triggered by ruptured discs or bone spurs putting pressure on nerve roots may remain after surgery. In addition to existing nerve pain, new pain may be caused by any bone grafts or hardware, such as metal plates, rods, and screws, implanted during cervical spine surgery, says Spine Universe.
Structural Damage
Cervical spine surgery could tear the membrane that covers the spinal cord at the site of the surgery, warns the Mayo Clinic, or cause neurological deterioration by damaging nerve roots in the area. Other parts of the body that can be damaged by cervical spine surgery include the esophagus, carotid artery, and vocal cords, according to Spine Universe.com.
Bone Graft Failure
Often, cervical spine surgery includes spinal fusion, in which surgeons fuse two or more vertebrae together with a bone graft to fill the space the discs had previously filled and stabilize the spine. Three different bone graft options exist: autograft material (patients' own bone, taken from their hips), allograft material (cadaver bone from a bone bank) or artificial bone material. Grafts made from both cadaver bone and artificial bone are more likely to fail than patients' own bone, says the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. But while patients can potentially achieve the most successful fusion using their own bone, the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons cautions that they risk experiencing persistent hip pain afterward.
General Surgical Risks
Potential side effects from cervical spinal fusion surgery include general risks associated with all surgeries, says the Mayo Clinic. They include infection, bleeding, blot clots, and negative reactions to anesthesia, such as breathing problems. The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons says that patients who are elderly, overweight and diabetic or who smoke or have multiple medical problems are more at risk than others of experiencing side effects from surgery.
Subsequent Surgery
If bone grafts shift out of their proper position, or hardware like metal rods and screws break, patients may need to undergo another surgery to correct the problems, says Spine Universe.
Member Comments