Cevical Fusions in Workers’ Compensation Cases
No one with a neck injury likes to contemplate the idea of surgery. Before surgery is even considered, conservative treatment including physical therapy, cervical traction, and medications is always recommended to see if it can successfully improve your symptoms. However, if conservative treatment has failed to relieve your pain, cervical spinal fusion may be the right option for you. Most of my clients who have undergone cervical fusions suffered on-the-job injuries that resulted in a fractures of the neck, herniated cervical discs with radiculopathy (numbness radiating down one or both of the arms into the fingers) or instability in the neck that caused disabling pain.
A cervical spinal fusion (or arthrodesis) joins certain bones in the neck. It can be performed through an incision in the front of the neck, known as an anterior approach, or through the back, known as a posterior approach. The orthopedic surgeon or neurosurgeon who performs the surgery may take bone from another part of your body (usually the hip). Other options include a bone graft obtained from a bone bank or the use of artifical materials. The bone is designed the bridge the vertebrae that are next to each other. Sometimes metal plates are screwed into the bone to joint the vertebrae that are adjacent to each other. In some cases, a disc may be removed and then the spine is fused or adjacent vertebrae may be fused.
In general, the fusion rates for a single-level fusion are very high using either donor (allograft) bone or autograft bone (bone from the patient's hip). Autograft bone is usually recommended for people who smoke or have a prior history of pseudoarthrosis (non-union).
There are varying success rates with this surgery. Unfortunately, some of my clients over the years had to undergo repeat surgery when they had complications from the initial surgery or the recurrence of symptoms. Most people who have cervical surgery will start to notice a difference in their symptoms in the first couple days after surgery. The total recovery time depends very much on the individual and on the expertise of the surgeon.
Cervical fusion surgery, like any other surgery, involves some risks. You should review the pros and cons of the surgery carefully with your doctor before making a final decision. Fusion surgery also has a significant impact on the final outcome and value of your workers’ coepensation case. If you are facing the prospect of cervical surgery, we can assist you in making the right choices. Please contact Susan J. Sadow at 770-984-8900. Don’t go through this process alone!
