Two effective, minimally invasive cervical spine surgeries

• July 11, 2019

There are many issues that can lead to pain in your cervical spine, which is more commonly called the neck. For instance, you may have an arthritic spinal joint that’s pinching a nerve. Herniated discs can also cause pain in the neck. There are two minimally invasive cervical spine surgeries that are designed to treat these two specific issues. 

1. Direct visualized rhizotomy

Direct visualized rhizotomy (DVR) is a minimally invasive cervical spine surgery that’s intended to reduce neck pain caused by arthritis of the spinal joints. The joints in question are called facet joints, and most of the vertebrae in your spine have two of them. These joints are important because they allow the spine to bend and flex. 

Arthritis can cause facet joints in your neck to degrade. In fact, these joints may degrade faster than other facet joints because the neck moves so much every day. DVR is designed to treat neck pain from facet joint arthritis by cutting the nerve fibers that transmit pain signals from the joint. This procedure is performed using minimally invasive tools and techniques that can reduce neck pain and speed up recovery. 

2.   Microdiscectomy

If herniated cervical discs are responsible for your pain, microdiscectomy is a minimally invasive cervical spine surgery that can help. Discs are important to your spine because they provide cushioning that helps maintain the space between your vertebrae. These structures are made up of a tough outer shell and a gel-like inner material. 

Factors like impacts from sports or car accidents can cause tears in the outer shell of a neck disc. In turn, this can lead to the inner material poking out, or herniating, through the tear. Microdiscectomy is designed to remove this herniated material, and this can help reduce nerve irritation that’s causing your neck pain. 

Get effective minimally invasive cervical spine surgery at Phoenix Spine & Joint

There are traditional surgeries that are used to treat spinal arthritis and herniated discs. However, it’s a good idea to look for a second opinion if they’re recommended for you because there are minimally invasive spine surgeries available. Phoenix Spine & Joint can help you get a second opinion. We offer several types of minimally invasive surgery, including DVR and microdiscectomy, and our procedures are designed to offer benefits such as: 

• Reduced neck pain
• Lower risk of infection
• Shorter recovery times
• Less soft tissue damage
• Increased quality of life

Our team is proud to have a 99% patient satisfaction rating, and we also have a nearly 0% post-surgical infection rate. 

Are you ready to take the next step toward reducing your neck pain? Contact one of our care specialists today for more information or to schedule a free second opinion.