I think that many of our patients, who use the internet effectively, have information about the formation of neck hernia. The issue that I want to share with you here is the one that occupies the minds of our patients the most: What is the way to be followed in the treatment of neck hernia? the question is. With the terminology we use professionally, it is possible to achieve success in cervical disc hernias, in other words neck hernias, mostly with non-surgical treatment methods. Drug therapy, restriction of movement, rest, physical therapy programs and injections to the neck area are the main non-surgical treatments.
The surgical treatment option is recommended for patients who do not respond to the above-mentioned medical treatment, who have loss of strength, and who have significant spinal cord and/or nerve root compression. In neck hernia, just like in lumbar hernia, herniation occurs from structures called intervertebral discs. Hernia compresses the spinal cord and/or nerve roots. The decision to perform the surgery with an anterior or posterior approach is made by the neurosurgeon after your examination and radiological examinations. Factors such as the location of the neck hernia and the experience of the surgeon are effective in this decision. For the front approach, the right side of the neck is usually used. After 4-5 cm of horizontal incision is made, the subcutaneous tissue, the superficial muscle layer just below it, is passed and it is advanced between the neck muscles until the jugular vein can be seen. In order to reach the spine, the jugular vein is taken to the outside, the esophagus and the trachea to the inside, with special retractors, and the anterior part of the neck spine is reached. X-rays are taken during the operation to determine the area between the vertebrae to be operated on and the operation site is confirmed. Then the retractors are placed. After this stage of the surgery, it is the discectomy procedure performed under the microscope. In this approach, prostheses or bone are placed to fix the two adjacent vertebrae instead of the evacuated disc material. Afterwards, the operation distance is checked with x-ray for the last time, and after the bleeding control, the incision is closed so that no stitches are needed and the operation is terminated. Back surgery in neck hernia is more limited. If the hernia is not in the midline and is at the mouth of the canal where the nerve root exiting the spinal cord enters to leave the spinal canal, then a posterior approach may be recommended.
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