ORTHOPEDIC N SPINE CENTRE Jalandhar, Punjab

The cervical spine consists of the top 7 vertebrae of the spine. Doctors often refer to these vertebrae as C1 - C7, with the "C" indicating cervical, and the numbers 1-7 indicating the level of the vertebrae. C1 is closest to the skull, while C7 is closest to the thoracic (chestrib cage) region of the spine. The cervical spine is particularly susceptible to degenerative problems because of: • its large range of motion • Somewhat complex anatomy. Cervical disk herniations are more characteristic in the young (less than forty-years old), while cervical spondylosis(degeneration) and stenosis are typically found in older patients. The degenerative process may begin in any of the joints in the cervical spine, and over time it may also cause secondary changes in the other joints

Conventional spine surgery requires a long incision and a lengthy recovery period. Minimally invasive surgery, also known as "keyhole" surgery, uses a thin, telescope-like instrument known as an endoscope, which is inserted through small incisions. The endoscope is connected to a tiny video camera - which projects an "inside" view of the patient's body onto television screens in the operating room. Small surgical instruments may then be passed through one or more additional half-inch incisions. Following the procedure, the small incisions are closed with sutures and covered with surgical tape. After a few months, they are barely visible. The aim of the surgery is to remove the compression exerted by the disc on the nerve. It consists of removing the fragment of the herniated nucleus. The use of Endoscopic technique has made possible to carry out the same big surgery regularly with a very small incision.

The cervical spine consists of the top 7 vertebrae of the spine. Doctors often refer to these vertebrae as C1 - C7, with the "C" indicating cervical, and the numbers 1-7 indicating the level of the vertebrae. C1 is closest to the skull, while C7 is closest to the thoracic (chestrib cage) region of the spine. The cervical spine is particularly susceptible to degenerative problems because of: • its large range of motion • Somewhat complex anatomy. Symptoms Symptoms include, neck pain, pain around the back of the shoulder blades, arm complaints (pain, numbness or weakness), and rarely, difficulty with hand dexterity or walking. Symptoms are commonly described as a soreness or stiffness of the neck, which may or may not be associated with a minor injury. Patients often attribute this to a "cold wind" or "sleeping wrong" that may or may not be a factor. Muscle strains tend to improve within a week or so. However, if the pain persists longer, call your doctor, as it may be another condition that needs medical treatment. Cervical disk herniations are more characteristic in the young (less than forty-years old), while cervical spondylosis(degeneration) and stenosis are typically found in older patients. The degenerative process may begin in any of the joints in the cervical spine, and over time it may also cause secondary changes in the other joints

The first is that many different diagnoses may cause the pain, and epidural injections may work for some of these diagnoses better than others. The second problem is that the success of the injection may depend on the technique that is used. The traditional epidural injection technique involves the doctor feeling the patient’s spine in order to guide the placement of a needle between the spinal vertebrae. A newer technique involves using x-ray fluoroscopy to guide the needle directly to the neural foramen, the point where the affected spinal nerve root exits the spine. This is likely to increase the success of the procedure.