Posterior Cervical Decompression and Fusion

This procedure involves removing bone and soft tissue from the back of the cervical spine to relieve pressure on the spinal cord, followed by stabilization with screws and rods. It is often used when multiple levels need to be decompressed or when the compression is primarily from the posterior direction.

Posterior cervical surgery is typically considered for multilevel cervical stenosis, myelopathy with posterior compression, cervical instability, or cases where an anterior-only approach would not adequately address the problem.

The choice between an anterior and posterior approach — or a combined approach — depends on where the compression is, how many levels are involved, the alignment of the cervical spine, and the overall goals of surgery. A posterior approach allows broader decompression across multiple levels, but it may involve more muscle disruption and a slightly different recovery profile.

• Infection
• Nerve or spinal cord injury
• Hardware failure
• C5 palsy (temporary deltoid weakness)
• Loss of cervical lordosis
• Adjacent segment degeneration

Hospital stay is usually one to three days. Patients may wear a collar for several weeks. Gradual return to activity over six to twelve weeks, with full recovery depending on baseline function and the extent of surgery.