An anterior cervical discectomy and fusion can be indicated for a variety of conditions after non-operative management has failed, most commonly for cervical radiculopathy and myelopathy. The primary goal of surgery is usually to relieve pressure on pinched nerves as they exit the neck to the arms, or the spinal cord itself.

Other goals can be to improve neck pain, maintain stability of the spine, or improve alignment of the spine. The procedure involves removing a problematic disc or bone spurs to make more room for the nerves and then stabilizing the spine using a spacer with bone graft as well as a small plate with screws to stabilize the bones and promote healing.

Watch the video below for a message from Dr. Ratnayake about the procedure in more detail.