eorthopod.com

I was in a car accident 10 years ago. Two bones in my neck were damaged. The doctor fused them together at that time. Since then, I've managed to avoid any more surgery, but now the bones are collapsing and causing terrible pain. What can be done for this?

Some doctors are removing the bones and replacing them with mesh cages. The cages are made of titanium and held in place with locking plates. Titanium cages give immediate stability to the spine. Each cage is filled with pieces of bone to give rigid support.

There are problems with this method. Other doctors suggest just removing the back portion of the bone. This operation is called a laminoplasty. This will take pressure off the spinal cord without losing the support of the bone.

Reference: 

Hwan T. Hee, et al. Complications of Multilevel Cervical Corpectomies and Reconstruction With Titanium Cages and Anterior Plating. In Journal of Spinal Disorders. February 2003. Vol. 16. No. 1. Pp. 1-9.

Disclaimer

The information on this website is not intended to replace the advice or care from a healthcare provider. The information on this website is compiled from a variety of sources. It may not be complete or timely. It does not cover all diseases, physical conditions, ailments, or treatments. The information should NOT be used in place of visiting with your healthcare provider, nor should you disregard the advice of your healthcare provider because of any information you obtain on this website. Discuss any activities presented in this website with your healthcare provider before engaging in the activity.