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Spinal Disorders Non-Surgical Treatments Surgical Treatments Case Studies  
Decompression
  Cervical Discectomy
Overview
Risks/Complications
After Surgery
  
  Cervical Corpectomy  
  Cervical Foraminotomy  
 
Cervical Laminectomy		  
 
Cervical Laminaplasty		  
  Lumbar Discectomy  
  Lumbar Laminectomy  
Home > Surgical Treatments > Decompression > Cervical Discectomy - Risks/Complications Print Page Print Page

ANTERIOR CERVICAL DISCECTOMY
Possible Risks/Complications
In skilled hands, this is a very safe procedure. Possible reported risks and complications of anterior cervical fusion may include:
  • Non-union
  • Damage to the spinal cord (about 1 in 10,000)
  • Graft extrusion
  • Bleeding
  • Continued pain
  • Adjacent disc disease
  • Injury to the trachea or esophagus
  • Difficulty swallowing- usually transient
  • Hoarseness of the voice- usually transient
  • Injury to the vertebral artery or carotid
  • Stroke
  • Paralysis
  • Infection
    • Death
The small nerve that supplies stimulus (innervation) to the vocal cords, the recurrent laryngeal nerve, will sometimes not function for several months after surgery because of retraction during the procedure, which can cause temporary hoarseness. Retraction of the esophagus can also produce temporary difficulty with swallowing (1 to 2 weeks). There is little chance of a recurrent disc herniation because most of the disc is removed with this type of surgery.

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