Cervical Disc Herniation Surgery

A patient who applies to our outpatient clinic with neck pain, limitation in neck movements, shoulder, arm pain, numbness and tingling is easily diagnosed with neck hernia by MRI and tomography examinations, and if there is no emergency, conservative treatments are applied for a while. Conservative treatments; It includes treatments such as physical therapy, manual therapy, prolotherapy, anti-inflammatory and muscle relaxant drugs, cold and hot applications, massage, epidural steroid injections. If no results are obtained from such treatments applied to the patient neck hernia surgery can be easily recommended. A patient who has reached the following stage should have neck hernia surgery.

Shoulder and arm pain that limits normal activities and quality of life
Progressive loss of strength and numbness, tingling
Failure to respond to physical therapy and medications

Is Neck Hernia Surgery Risky?

As in any surgery, there are certain risks in neck hernia surgeries. These risks are:

Bleeding
Infection
hoarseness
nerve damage
Post-operative pain, numbness
Removal of the placed prosthesis

Who Performs Neck Hernia Surgery

Neck hernia surgery is usually performed by neurosurgeons. But; It can also be performed by orthopedic specialists trained in spine surgery. Since it is a risky surgery, it should be performed by an experienced surgeon.

How to Perform Neck Hernia Surgery

The main purpose of neck hernia surgery is to completely remove the pressure on the nerve. In general, the neck spine is reached from the anterior part of the neck between the sternocleidomastoid muscle and the trachea and esophagus. It is performed with the help of microsurgery with the help of a microscope and the patient anesthetized under general anesthesia. In some cases, it can also be approached from the back of the neck. These techniques are briefly discussed below.

Anterior cervical discectomy and fusion surgery: The patient is put to sleep with general anesthesia. In the anterior neck region, 3-4 cm from the right or left side according to the surgeon's preference. An incision is made to reach the spine. The soft tissues are then pulled aside to expose the spine anteriorly. The surgeon removes the damaged disc and, if any, a bone spur with surgical instruments to relieve pressure on the spinal cord or nerve roots. This part of the procedure is performed with an operating microscope, usually using microsurgical neurosurgery techniques. The disc between the spine bones is completely removed. Next, the surgeon uses spinal fusion or disc prosthesis, in which the disc is replaced with an artificial cervical disc, to keep the spine aligned and stable. To perform the spinal fusion, the surgeon places the bone graft taken from the patient's own body or from a bone bank after discectomy, into the prosthesis we call the cage. After the bones fuse, the spine becomes stable. If a cervical disc prosthesis is used, the surgeon selects the appropriate size artificial disc and places it in the disc space. Their feature is that they are mobile. Such implants can be preferred especially in young patients and patients who do not have osteophytes (calcification). Its purpose is to prevent a possible hernia that may occur after fusion in the adjacent segment. And it is to prevent fusion-related restriction in neck movements. The surgeon momentarily controls the prosthesis while placing it with a C-arm X-ray device during the operation. The incision is closed with subcutaneous sutures and a small gauze dressing is applied. By clicking on the video below, you can watch how a neck hernia surgery is performed with microsurgery.

Posterior cervical foraminotomy: If the operation will be performed only for the soft fragment that compresses the nerve; With posterior cervical foraminotomy, a portion of the laminae of the spine and ligament are removed by entering from the posterior part of the neck. The pressing disc part is removed and the nerve is relieved.

Contact for detailed information and appointment requests Click the page .