Anterior Cervical fusion & Posterior laminectomy

I had all cervical disks using posterior approach for spinal cord compression done in 2001, then in 2003 I had ananterior approach done to the same disks, removed, cages put in and a rod holding the whole thing up. Each surgery was 12 hours and a recovery period of three months, Plus Miami J Brace for recovery period. These were heavy duty and I was placed in ICU for a few days before being sent to a regular room. The outcome was good the pain was reduced, to a pain level I coulod live with. Will your surgeon consider dividing it into 2 surgeries? Good luck to you - you must be in a lot of pain.

Ask your surgeon if he would consider a 2 step procedure. I will be scheduling a c3-c7 discectomy and fusion for next spring. My surgeon has said that he may consider a 2 step procedure where he does an anterior discectomy and then a few days later goes back in and does a posterior laminectomy and fusion with screws and rods. This approach gives the strongest repair and helps minimize future problems. I hope your surgery goes well whatever you decide!

@morkat
Thanks very much for answering me and for your good wishes.

I plan to discuss with my surgeon, again, to discuss the "all at once" approach. You are the first person to answer me.

@llander1966
Hello,
Thank you for your reply. Your Spring 2027 surgery is extremely similar to what I have to have done. You said your surgeon will make his final decision on whether to do one or two surgeries when you are in OR. This is something I'm going to discuss with my surgeon, hopefully this coming week.
Thanks for wishing me luck.

@rickyandval You are welcome! I want to wait until spring because I had a 3 level lumbar laminectomy and fusion this past March and want that to be fully healed before I go ahead with the cervical surgery. I have an appt in February to discuss the cervical surgery with my spine surgeon. I am going to try to tell him I would prefer to have the 2 step procedure because I am terrified of the throat problems after a long anterior approach. The 2 step procedure allows for a shorter retraction time for the trachea and esophagus. Are you having your surgery soon? Let us know when you do. I will be very interested in following your course, for obvious reasons.

@llander1966
Hello Again,

I have not scheduled my surgery, yet, but want to do so before the end of November, at the latest. I have a few more questions for my surgeon, which I hope I can get answered this week. One question is what I've been questioning on this forum; am I doing too much at one time; and; is my situation so critical that it has to be done all at the same time.
I prefer not to go thru surgery and months of recovery twice but also need to feel confident in the reasons for his plan. I'll keep everyone updated.

@rickyandval I understand and that is definitely a question for your surgeon. I hope you get answers asap.

Thanks very much!

Ouch. A friend recently had that procedure. His post surgery X-rays look like aisle 3 at Ace Hardware. Recovery has tough. But you have to do what do. Recovering is a matter of time, guts, resolve and meditation.

My ACDF surgery a year ago with HSS/NCH did not go quit as planned. I formed a post surgery hematoma 24 hours after the ACDF and needed emergency surgery to remove hematoma and breathe. Very serious stuff, 5 hour surgery with several MD's in surgery with me. 25 days later I was released from hospital to a post surgery rehab center and released from there two days later. The ACDF has been successful in providing relief and function to my upper extremities. I only hope I don't have to go through that trauma again.