The cervical spine consists of seven vertebrae, called C1 though C7. Cervical degenerative disc disease usually occurs as a part of aging, although inherited tendencies, smoking, arthritis, injury or poor posture may contribute. Discs, which cushion vertebrae and act as shock absorbers, dry out over time and lose flexibility and strength. They may tear, allowing the soft gel inside to leak out, which irritates nearby spinal nerves. Pieces of the disc may crack or break off, according to the Mayfield Clinic. Surgeons may suggest surgery for cervical degenerative disease when loss of function or significant pain occurs.
Assessing Need
Cervical degenerative disc disease that doesn’t cause pain or other symptoms doesn’t usually require surgery. If pain does occur, it may radiate down one arm or hand and may be accompanied by numbness and tingling. Muscles spasms or weakness in your arms may also occur. Pain in the neck or shoulders may also indicate cervical degenerative disc disease. Patient history, MRIs, CT scans and myelogram--where dye is injected into the spinal canal and tracked as it flows through the spine--may all be used to assess the need for surgery for cervical disc degenerative disease.
Surgery Types
Several types of surgery are used to treat cervical degenerative disc disease, including anterior cervical discectomy, anterior artificial disc replacement, posterior cervical discectomy, posterior microdiscectomy and posterior cervical laminectomy. Different types of procedures have advantages and disadvantages. The choice of procedure usually falls to the surgeon.
Procedures
Cervical degenerative disc surgery is done under general anesthesia. Anterior surgeries approach the vertebrae by cutting an opening in the front of the neck, while posterior procedures go in through an incision in the back of the neck. The damaged disc is removed and replaced with donated bone, bone from the patient or an artificial disc. Artificial disc replacement avoids the need for fusion of the bone, which restricts neck movement, according to the Mayfield Clinic.
Recovery
Cervical disc surgery may require a stay of one to two days in the hospital, although some surgeries are done as outpatient procedures, allowing a return home the day of surgery. Vertebrae need time to heal after surgery for cervical degenerative disc disease, so a neck brace may need to be worn for several months, according to Orthogate. Physical therapy may be prescribed for several months as well, to strengthen the area and reduce muscle spasms and pain.
Complications
Any surgery can cause complications. Potential complications from cervical disc surgery include damage to the nerve during surgery, infection, excessive bleeding, damage to the spinal cord, carotid artery, vocal cords or esophagus, according to the American Association of Neurological Surgeons. Speech disturbances and swallowing difficulties may also occur. Because surgery for cervical degenerative disc disease can be complex, not all patients have complete pain relief after surgery, Orthogate says.
