Cervical arthritis surgery

Surgery is not the first line of treatment for cervical arthritis. However, in cases where the disease fails to respond to other forms of treatment and the pain and inflammation is very severe, doctors may recommend going in for surgery. Surgery is recommended in cases where there is severe degradation of the cervical vertebrae or in cases where there is severe pain. There are two kinds of approaches for cervical arthritis surgery. The anterior approach is involves making an incision at the front of the neck. The wind pipe and trachea is moved aside to expose the cervical spine. If herniation is observed or if there is immense pressure on the spinal cord, a disk may be removed and the gap filled with bone graft or any other implant. Posterior approach is used in cases where there is narrowing of the foramen. In such cases, the bone from the back of the neck may have to be removed or enlarged. There are two ways in which this kind of surgery is done. Laminoplasty involves cutting the bone in several places and rearranging them so that there is more space for the spinal cord. This procedure is preferred because it preserves the stability of the cervical spine. Laminectomy involves removing the portion of the bone over the spinal canal, thereby making room for the spinal cord. This process is not preferred because it may leave the neck unstable.