Overview

This surgery relieves painful pressure on spinal nerves by removing  a herniated or degenerative vertebral disc in your neck and replacing it with a bone graft.

Preparation

To prepare for the procedure, you are anesthetized and positioned  lying on your back.  The surgeon makes an incision on the front of your neck and carefully moves the internal structures aside.  This provides  access to the spine. The surgeon then carefully removes the damaged disc, eliminating the pressure it was applying to the spinal nerves. This leaves a void space between the vertebrae.

Graft Inserted

The surgeon inserts a bone graft to fill  this intervertebral void. The graft holds the vertebrae in the proper position, preserving the space for the spinal nerves. The surgeon secures the graft with a metal plate and screws.

End of Procedure

When the procedure is finished, the incision is stitched closed. As your spine heals, new bone will grow. Fusion occurs when the new bone growth secures to the graft and to the adjacent vertebra.  While fusion reduces your spinal range of motion, it should also alleviate pain and other troublesome symptoms that were caused by nerve compression.