Important:- Cervical Spondalosis ACDF Surgery

Symptoms are neck ache tingling pains down one arm or both arms legs getting weak & pain in the feet when walking.. if you have these symptom you need to act quickly!

Firstly it is very important to get the correct diagnosis, don't be messed around by your GP as I was initially, if you are worried about your condition ask your GP to send you for a MRI. It was 2012 when I had my surgery ACDF [with internal plates & screws to stabilise my neck] following my MRI scan I saw an Orthopaedic Surgeon who told me I needed  surgery he proposed a laminectomy, I was doubtful about this procedure & the fact this was not a Neurosurgeon, I asked for 2nd opinion & I then saw a Neurosurgeon, he told me that I needed a different procedure, but for some reason I did not like this consultant & his arrogant attitude, so one pondering I remember a friend who had successful spinal surgery a few years previously & I remembered the surgeons name, so I decided to phone his secretary [long story short] I had a 3rd opinion with this neurosurgeon & he straight away told me "its a good job you have come to see me", he went on to say if you had had either of the previous proposed procedures you would have finished up worse off than you now, I was totally shocked, he told me I needed a far more complex procedure which involved removing a spur also fusion on 3 vertebra & a plate & screws to support the rest of my badly worn vertebra..i went onto have this surgery & recovered very quickly, this was over 5 years ago now & I have not had any problems with my neck since.

Moral of the story is, you must get the right neurosurgeon "A Good One" who is going to do the very best procedure possible, if you are not comfortable with the him ask for a 2nd or even a 3rd opinion.

I still find it hard to believe that 2 senior consultants were prepared to do surgery that would have made my condition worse. I put it down to partly the NHS budget & also carelessness on the behalf of the first 2 consultants.

The surgery I eventually ha,d ACDF, was a much longer procedure & obviously more expensive to the NHS.

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