Patients will feel some pain after surgery, especially at the incision site. While tingling sensations or numbness is common, and should lessen over time, they should be reported to the doctor. Most patients are encouraged to be up and moving around within a few hours after surgery. After surgery, your doctor will give you instructions on when you can resume your normal daily activities. After corpectomy, external immoblization is generally used to augment the internal stabilization of the plates.

Often patients are encouraged to maintain a daily low-impact exercise program. Walking, and slowly increasing the distance each day, is the best exercise after this type of surgery. Some discomfort is normal, but pain is a signal to slow down and rest.

Signs of infection like swelling, redness or draining at the incision site, and fever should be checked out by the surgeon immediately. Keep in mind, the amount of time it takes to return to normal activities is different for every patient. Discomfort should decrease a little each day. Most patients will benefit from a postoperative exercise program or supervised physical therapy after surgery. You should ask your doctor about exercises to help with recovery.

The expected outcome from decompressive/fusion procedures of the neck is good. Surgery is very effective in reducing the pain in the arms and shoulders caused by nerve compression. However, some neck pain may persist.

The outcome of decompression treatment for spinal cord impingement is more variable. Decompressive procedures such as corpectomy generally arrest progression of the disorder. The amount of recovery of neurologic function such as balance, coordination, bowel or bladder incontinence depends on the amount and duration of compression, as well as the presence of any permanent damage to the spinal cord.