Watch Cervical Vertebrae Anatomy Animation. Studies do not perfectly agree on what is an average range of cervical motion, but the following is an estimate for point of reference:. Watch: Cervical Spine Anatomy Video. Due to aging, neck mobility naturally reduces over time, with the first significant drop typically happening between ages 30 and However, most fusion surgeries in the cervical spine occur in one or more of the lower levels C4 through C7.
For example, instead of bending all the way down to tie shoes, the foot could be lifted further up. There are many reasons that cervical range of motion measurements vary in the medical literature—both for healthy and fused cervical spines.
Some examples include:. While the specifics of cervical range of motion can be complicated, most fusion surgery patients can safely ignore those details and focus on regaining enough neck mobility to return to a high quality of life. Posterior Cervical Decompression Microdiscectomy Surgery. You are here Treatment Spinal Fusion. Peer Reviewed. This surgery has a high success rate. Your surgeon and anesthesiologist will use general anesthesia to help you remain unconscious throughout the entire surgery.
Talk to your doctor about the possible complications of surgery before you have ACDF surgery, such as blood clots or infections. An ACDF surgery can take one to four hours depending on your condition and the number of disks to be removed.
Hospital staff will help you sit up, move, and walk around until you feel comfortable. See your surgeon about two weeks after your surgery for a follow-up appointment.
You should be able to do daily activities again in four to six weeks. Once your graft starts to heal, walk short distances, starting at about 1 mile and regularly increasing the distance, every day. This light exercise can aid in your healing process. ACDF surgery is often highly successful and can help you gain control of your neck and limb movement again.
Recovery can take a long time, but the relief of pain and weakness can allow you to return to many daily activities that you love to do. A spinal cord injury is damage to the spinal cord that can have a lasting and significant impact on your daily life. Here's what you need to know. A bulging disc in your neck can cause pain in your neck, shoulders, chest, and arms. Read about causes, diagnosis, and treatment options. There are many solutions for neck pain, so it can be difficult to decide which treatment option is right for each patient.
Many cases of neck pain go away on their own, having been caused by a small injury that is capable of healing by itself. Neck pain can be assessed using a physical evaluation, but most doctors will order a series of imaging technology such as MRI or X-Rays to determine the source. Spinal abnormalities are tricky because it can be difficult to diagnose the cause of pain. Many patients have been observed with conditions such as bone spurs, which can cause a lot of damage and discomfort, but report no symptoms.
Because of this, doctors have to be extra diligent about finding the source. Issues in the neck that result in fusion surgery are often related to degenerative conditions such as Arthritis and Degenerative Disc Disease, so many doctors look for indications that this is occurring. Neck fusion surgery, also called Anterior Cervical Fusion and Discectomy ACDF , is the process of fusing two vertebrae together in an attempt to stabilize the spine or remove a disc.
This procedure has many different methods, including discectomy, bone grafts, metal cages, and much more. Any surgery will come with a set of risks and potential complications to look out for.
Cervical fusion is generally considered safe, but it is a major surgery. Some common risks of surgery include:. There are some steps that patients can take to lower the chances of some complications. The topic of risks should be discussed thoroughly with a doctor and surgeon before the procedure so that patients can be prepared in case something does go wrong. Safe practices in the operating room and an attentive staff can also prevent complications. Aside from the risks of surgery itself, there are other issues that may arise after a cervical fusion surgery.
During the procedure and the healing process, the structure is particularly vulnerable. Vulnerability comes from a weakness of the muscles that have gone a period of time without use due to pain. Stiffness in the neck and a smaller range of motion are common occurrences after cervical fusion.
Something to consider about neck fusion surgery is that it may not produce the intended results. Some patients have reported little to no relief from symptoms after a lengthy recovery period. When this is the case, doctors may suggest yet another corrective surgery. There are many reasons why patients may experience abnormal pain in the neck after surgery.
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