Cervical Spondylotic Myelopathy Treatments
Depending on the cause of the condition, there are a wide variety of cervical spondylotic myelopathy treatments available. At Southlake Orthopaedics, the team of multi-level specialists includes orthopedic physicians, physician assistants, physical therapists, and other practitioners. Additionally, patients can access expertise from specialists in every orthopedic subspecialty. Depending on the type of treatments patients need, Southlake Orthopaedics offers:
- Cervical collars to support the neck
- Medications, including epidural steroid injections, anti-inflammatories, and corticosteroids
- Physical therapy
Common Surgical Procedures for Cervical Spondylotic Myelopathy
Several surgical interventions are utilized to help treat cervical spinal cord compression. Depending on the condition of the individual patient, these include:
- Anterior cervical discectomy
- Including fusion and/or disc replacement
- Anterior cervical corpectomy
- Laminoplasty
- Laminectomy and fusion
Surgical procedures are usually performed either from the front (anterior region) of the neck or the posterior region (back of the neck). The approach depends on the specific disc or vertebrae to be accessed and the individual medical diagnosis.
The term fusion describes a stabilizing process where the vertebrae are bound together using a bone graft. Discectomy describes the removal of the disc that is causing pain in the cervical spine. In some cases, an artificial disc can be inserted. A laminectomy procedure describes the removal of part of the spinal canal, including any bone spurs or ligaments that are involved with the compression. Laminoplasty describes a thinning or opening of the spinal canal. If surgery is recommended, a patient’s physician will explain the particulars of their case in more detail.
