Anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF) is a surgery to remove a herniated or degenerative disc in the cervical (neck) spine. The incision is made in the front of the spine, through the throat area. After the disc is removed, a bone graft is inserted to fuse together the vertebrae above and below the disc space. Your doctor may recommend a discectomy if physical therapy or medications fail to relieve your neck or arm pain caused by compressed spinal nerves. Patients go home in two days; recovery time takes 4 weeks.

Total Disc Replacement Surgery

Cervical disc replacement (also known as artificial disc for cervical disc replacement, or total disc arthroplasty) is performed in case of cervical disc herniations (degenerative disc disease where a portion of the spinal disc pushes outside its normal boundary). The procedure involves removing the affected disc, disc fragments or any bone spurs. The disc space is jacked up to the desired normal height (that should have normally been, in case of no disc disease). Following this, the surgeon implants the artificial disc into the prepared disc space.

• Artificial disc surgery has lesser chances of requiring a revision surgery, compared to spinal fusion surgery
• Normal neck motion can be maintained
• Unlike the spinal fusion surgery the adjacent spinal discs in case of cervical disc replacement don’t have to bear the extra stress .
• Eliminates the need for a painful bone graft
• Recovery time is quicker compared to the fusion surgery
• Less use of hard collar