Anterior Cervical Fusion Complications

An anterior cervical fusion is a type of surgery performed on the area of the spine located in the neck. It is performed to reduce pain by eliminating pressure on nerve roots and by preventing any motion occurring between two spinal vertebrae. Herniated spinal discs and bone spurs are the most common conditions that cause the need for anterior cervical fusion. During the surgery the two spinal vertebrae will be fused together using hardware such as rods, plates or pins. Since this is a surgical procedure complications can occur and these complications can become particularly serious since they will affect the spinal cord.

Pain

• Patients who have had an anterior cervical fusion may still experience pain after the surgery if it fails. Some patients may also experience more severe pain after the surgery. If this anterior cervical fusion complication occurs the patient will most likely need another surgery to correct the problem that is causing their continued or more intense pain.

Blood Clots

• Blood clots, also referred to as thrombophlebitis or deep vein thrombosis, can occur after a patient has had an anterior cervical fusion surgery. This complication can develop due to the patient not walking enough after surgery. If this complication occurs a blood clot can develop in the leg causing leg pain. If the blood clot breaks loose and makes it way into the lungs it can cause lung problems or in some cases death.

Infection

• Less than one percent of patients who have an anterior cervical fusion surgery will develop an infection after the surgery. These infections often only affect the incision that was made into the skin and can often be easily treated with antibiotics. However, if the infection is left untreated it may invade the deeper tissues causing more serious complications that can sometimes result in death.

Injury

• An anterior cervical fusion is a very delicate surgery and in some cases the spinal cord may become injured during the surgery. A spinal cord injury can cause several problems such as paralysis. The area of the body that becomes paralyzed will depend on what part of the spinal cord was injured. The spinal nerves and spinal cord covering can become injured as well.

Hardware Fracture

• When performing an anterior cervical fusion the surgeon will use hardware to keep the vertebrae aligned as it heals. In some cases, this hardware may fracture or move from its position. If this occurs it often results in the need for an additional surgery to remove the damaged hardware and replace it with new hardware so that the patient's spine can heal correctly.