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Surgical Option for Cervical Stenosis

Surgical Option for Cervical Stenosis

Cervical stenosis is a condition that results in the narrowing of the cervical spinal canal (neck). As a result, patients often experience pain, tingling, and numbness in the neck, shoulders, and arms. Patients who suffer from cervical stenosis may try conservative treatment options first to minimize their pain and discomfort before considering minimally invasive procedures, like steroid injections and radiofrequency ablation. While these treatments may provide some pain relief in the beginning, over time, patients with moderate to severe cases of cervical stenosis will require some type of surgical intervention. 

Now, we say “will,” but that depends on the patient and how long they’re willing to live in severe, debilitating pain. It is possible to avoid surgery in some cases, but this is unlikely in patients with degeneration that negatively affects their quality of life. Dr. Mark Giovanini of NeuroMicroSpine is a leading neurosurgeon with MIS spine surgery training. His number one goal is to help patients achieve a better quality of life with less pain.

Dr. Mark Giovanini may recommend minimally invasive therapies to reduce pain symptoms, and sometimes, these treatment options will produce long-term pain relief lasting several weeks, months, or up to a year. However, if these treatments don’t work, Dr. Mark Giovanini will suggest an intervention he knows will work: a cervical laminectomy. This minimally invasive spinal surgery is performed to relieve pressure in the cervical spinal canal.

During the procedure, Dr. Giovanini makes a small incision in the neck and uses special surgical instruments, like an endoscope, to access the spinal canal. He then creates a space in the spinal canal by removing the lamina from the damaged area. This will relieve the pain and tingling from the neck and extremities. After the surgery, the patient will be sent to a separate room to recover. If the patient’s vitals are within a normal, healthy range, he or she will be discharged from the surgery center and sent home.

Because this procedure is minimally invasive, the recovery process is often shorter compared to open, traditional surgeries. Moreover, patients often experience less pain, bleeding, scarring, and a reduced risk of infection.

For more information on minimally invasive spine surgery or to make an appointment with Dr. Giovanini, please call (850) 934-7545 or visit https://www.neuromicrospine.com/request-appointment.

We hope to see you soon!

The advice and information contained in this article is for educational purposes only and is not intended to replace or counter a physician’s advice or judgment. Please always consult your physician before taking any advice learned here or in any other educational medical material.