The word "cervix" comes from the Latin term for neck. The cervical spine is a continuous chain of vertebrae that extends from the bottom of the skull to the shoulders, where it becomes the thoracic spine.
The cervical spine can be subject to injury due to trauma, or deterioration from daily wear and tear. Cervical spinal surgery may be used to treat the discomfort, instability or loss of mobility resultant from damage to the cervical spine. As with any surgery, complications are possible, even after one year.
Esophageal Dysfunction
Dr. Peter Ullrich, an orthopedic surgeon with NeuroSpine Center of Wisconsin, explains that cervical surgeries that involve an anterior approach, meaning that the surgery is performed from the front of the neck, require the esophagus to be retracted, or moved aside, during the procedure. This can cause damage to the esophagus that result in temporary hoarseness of the voice, and difficulty swallowing.
In most cases, these symptoms resolve within a few days, but there are rare instances where the damage is permanent, and the persistent esophageal dysfunction caused by cervical spine surgery results in difficulty swallowing that is unrelenting.
Deterioration of Adjacent Vertebrae
Spinal fusion surgeries involve the transformation of two contiguous vertebrae into one, by removing the cartilaginous disc that separates them and using bone grafts to initiate fusion of the vertebrae.
The University of Maryland Medical Center explains that this vertebral fusion forces additional load on the joints above and below the fused segments. Over the long term, this can lead to wear on the adjacent vertebrae, which can erode the cartilaginous discs and lead to the formation of osteophytes, or bone spurs, as well as loss of mobility or pain in the affected segments.
Failure to Heal
Sometimes cervical spine surgery involves the implantation of a bone graft to the cervical vertebrae to facilitate spinal fusion. Ullrich cites failure to heal as the principal risk inherent in this type of surgery. An unhealed graft can lead to displacement of the graft, and it may be necessary to repeat the surgery to correct the displacement. There is also the possibility that wear on the metal support structures used in a spinal surgery can cause them to break and cause pain. This condition is called pseudoarthrosis, means "false joint" and describes a fusion that has not healed properly.
