Cervical spine surgery is generally elective, meaning that it is the patient’s decision to have surgery or to continue with nonsurgical treatments.
The most common reasons for cervical spine surgery are to:
- Remove parts of the bone or disc that are causing nerve pain
- Fuse adjacent vertebrae together to create stability
- Widen the spinal canal to relieve spinal cord compression
- Remove tumors or masses
- Some combination of the above reasons
Cervical spine surgery can be used to relieve pressure placed on a nerve root by a damaged or abnormal component of the spine, usually a disc or vertebra. It can also be used to correct fractures or dislocations of the bones, ligaments, and tendons that protect and stabilize the spinal cord.
The goals of cervical spine surgery include:
- Relieve pain, numbness, tingling, and weakness
- Restore nerve function
- Stop or prevent abnormal motion in the spine
