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HomeSummaryReview of the conditionConsidering surgeryPreparing for surgeryPreparation Costs Surgical team Finding an experienced surgeon Facilities About the procedureRecovering from surgeryRehabilitationConclusion

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Cervical Disc Replacement or Fusion? Surgery for arm and neck pain, numbness, tingling and weakness from neck arthritis, disc herniation (slipped disc) and radiculopathy

Last updated Tuesday, June 09, 2009

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Preparing for surgery

Preparation

Generally, blood transfusion is not necessary, so donation of blood units is not needed, as is common in other surgical procedures.

Prior to the surgery, the patient should have a thorough understanding of the risks, benefits, and potential complications of surgical vs. nonsurgical treatment. In addition, the patient should have an excellent understanding of the goals of surgery. Depending on the condition, the goals of surgery range from preventing further neurological damage to relieving pain and symptoms.

Costs

The surgeon's office should provide a reasonable estimate of:
• the surgeon's fee;
• the hospital fee;
• the degree to which these should be covered by the patient's insurance.

Surgical team

A fellowship-trained spine surgeon should perform this procedure, as it is technically demanding. It should be performed at a medical center where these procedures are done routinely.

Finding an experienced surgeon

Because total disc replacement is a relatively new procedure, it is unlikely that every community has an experienced spine surgeon who performs many of these procedures. Surgeons specializing in spinal procedures may be located through university schools of medicine, county medical societies, or state orthopaedic societies.

Facilities

Surgery is usually performed in a major medical center that performs these procedures on a regular basis. These centers have surgical teams and facilities specially designed for this type of surgery. In addition, neurological monitoring should be used, depending on the patients’ condition and this should be avail. They also have nurses and therapists who are accustomed to assisting patients in their recovery.

Surgery for Cervical Radiculopathy at the University of Washington, Department of Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine, Seattle, Washington

If you are interested in making an appointment to discuss this procedure in Seattle, you can request an appointment using our online referrals website. To request a referral online, please click here. You can also call 206-598-4288 to make an appointment. Our clinical center is located in Seattle Washington, USA

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