This surgery removes bone and/or portions of a herniated or diseased disc to relieve neck and radiating arm pain caused by parts of the disc pressing on nerve roots.
When discs in the neck become damaged for any number of reasons, they can herniate and cause immense pain through the neck, back, shoulders and arms. A Micro Endoscopic Posterior Cervical Discectomy is a minimally invasive procedure that can remove the damaged portion of the disc that bulges against the nerve root and causes pain. The patient lies face down under anesthesia while a small incision is made in the neck over the herniated disc. From there, the surgeon can access the affected area and perform the procedure.
A cervical herniated disc may be treated by removing part of the disc through a small incision; If this is done from the back (posteriorly) rather than from the front of the neck, a spinal fusion is not necessary.
There are three regions of vertebrae throughout the spinal cord, and each section has its specific medical treatments when a patient is in pain or discomfort. In the upper region of the cervical spine, a patient may be experiencing pain in the neck and even tingling or pain radiating down through the arms. These patients will often have limited range of motion in their neck, severe neck pain, numbness or weakness in the extremities, and other symptoms related to the cervical area.
You are probably well aware that neck pain can be very challenging. The painful feeling can be overwhelming whenever you want to turn your head to look at something next to you. No one should have to live with this kind of discomfort. Suppose you are experiencing this type of pain in the cervical spine area. In that case, you may have a condition such as cervical disc herniation, and this may require an anterior cervical discectomy.
At New York Spine Specialist, our team of experienced spinal surgeons can provide you with the pain relief you need through various treatment methods. Our team will never jump to surgery because there are many effective conservative treatment options.
However, suppose surgery becomes the only option to treat your disc herniation and relieve the compressed nerve root in your upper spine. In that case, we have the surgical instruments and training to perform the surgery effectively.
When a patient comes to New York Spine Specialist complaining of neck pain and radiating arm pain caused by a compressed nerve root, our team may recommend a surgical procedure known as a microendoscopic posterior cervical discectomy. This process removes spinal bone and any herniated portion of the disc causing nerve roots’ compression.
Thankfully, this procedure has been perfected so that it is a minimally invasive spine surgery and only requires a small incision and x-ray guidance (fluoroscopy). When the posterior approach is used to relieve neck discomfort and pressure from the disc pressing on the nerves, a fusion may not be needed so the patient can retain the full range of motion in their neck.
When discs in the neck become damaged for many reasons, they can herniate and cause immense pain in the neck, back, shoulders, and arms. A Micro Endoscopic Posterior Cervical Discectomy is a minimally invasive procedure that can remove the damaged portion of the disc that bulges against the nerve root and causes pain. The patient lies face down under anesthesia while a small incision is made in the neck over the location of the herniation. The surgeon can access the affected area and perform the procedure to remove some facet joints and the disc.
A cervical herniated disc may be treated by removing part of the disc through a small incision. If this is done from the back (posteriorly) rather than from the front of the neck, a spinal fusion is not necessary. Once the procedure is done, the patient will be observed briefly before being released from the clinic. No overnight hospital stays are required, and recovery is usually relatively rapid.
Because the spinal cord is an important aspect of a person’s daily activities, it must remain in tip-top condition. When a disc is bulging or has herniated, that can result in severe pain and discomfort, negatively affecting the patient’s health and happiness. With this minimally invasive outpatient procedure, a protruded disc will be fixed, and that issue will no longer cause pain for the patient. This enables them to return to a normal life without pain and discomfort.
When the posterior approach is utilized for the microendoscopic cervical discectomy, the primary advantage of that choice is that there is no need for a spinal fusion also to be implemented. This maintains the normal motion and functioning of the cervical spine and may result in a faster healing time since no bone graft needs to be fused in and healed from within the disc space.
Depending on your situation, our spine surgeons will evaluate your spine health and the location of the disc herniation. After this examination, we will determine if the posterior approach is appropriate or if the anterior may be the better option.
Suppose the other conservative treatment options available fail to provide you with the pain relief you need. In that case, our team will discuss this procedure with you and all of the tools used during the surgery, such as the guidewire, small drill, x-ray images and guidance, small camera, tubular retractor, surgical light, and more. Of course, our spine team at New York Spine Specialist will discuss all of this with you and ensure that you understand how the decision was made.
The procedure helps alleviate the pain of a herniated disc because the surgeon removes that disc (or a portion of it). Once the offending disc is gone, and the spinal canal has had ample time to heal, you will be able to return to your normal daily activities without the risk of pain and discomfort.
Are you dealing with excruciating pain resulting from a disc herniation in the cervical area of your spinal cord? Rather than continuing to live with that discomfort, contact New York Spine Specialist to learn about all of the treatment options available to you, including microendoscopic posterior cervical discectomy.
We offer various spinal procedures that can potentially help your condition right away. With only a small surface wound to access the cervical area of your spine, our team can correct the herniation and get you back to your normal life. We accept most insurance plans including no-no-fault and workers’ compensation. Contact us today and let us schedule you an appointment with one of our spine specialists today.
We offer various spinal procedures that can potentially help your condition right away. Please give us a call and let us schedule you an appointment with one of our specialists today.
