I had 3 level cervical spine fusion surgery on Nov12 ( 11 days ago). I have some pain but it is easily tolerated with medication. Although, I do not need as much now. The numbness and pain on my left side arm shoulder pain is gone (so far), This was the primary reason for the surgery. Eating is difficult because my throat is still swollen and a liquid and soft diet has been pretty much what I have stayed with. Slowly integrating other foods but I had to cough up much of it because I hadn't fully swallowed the food . Go slow as I am feeling more pain now due to straining my throat from coughing. I will continue to update if anyone feels it is worthwhile

Thank you for this amazing explanation about the risks around this surgery. I may have to do it, and I have been horrified about the dangers. This offers some degree of comfort, thank you.

I had ACDF decompress ion surgery about 3 months ago. Fused 3&4 and 5&6. Surgery went well but I am having a lot of pain in my left arm. Some pain between shoulder blades and neck. My voice has changed and I still sound like a frog. I must have expected too much from the surgery and am disappointed in the results. I understood the pain in my left arm would go away after surgery but it has not. Still taking lots of pain meds and having OT/PT twice a week. Thank you for your clear explanation of this surgery.

I had David do an acdf surgery on me 2 weeks ago and I couldn’t sing his praises any more he is a wiz and an artist 😃😃😃 thankyou so much for everything. Life is looking so positive now

Had this done two days ago. Very well explained.

Well done thank you Doctor your explanation has helped me to decide to have ACDF cheers Mike

adjacent level spinal disc pressure happens more like 30-50%. Once the spine is injured or operated on, it is likely the patient will be back very few years complaining of pain and requiring surgery on adjacent levels or a failed fusion. Artificial discs should become the gold standard with smaller-height discs being used to avoid the pressure, but just enough keep pressure off the nerves coming off the spine such as facet joints and foraminal openings.

Blesdings Doctor, would like to know outcomes on a second surgery.. First surgery levels affected were C5 C6 and C7 with a mobi c device. Is it possible to get out ok from a second surgery due to other levels affected with spinal stenosis and herniations?

Very informative thank you

Thanks for amazing explanation what about daily activity and driving car after surgery ,is it safe??

Everyone should read all the comments below. Most people seem to have a failure and have to take a second surgery and even a third!

Thank you ,

Hi everyone will pray for you are all to have speedy recovery and May almighty bless everyone perfect and good health Amen . I'm a little scared of going for My C5 and C6 Operation I'm 37 and have alot of on my shoulders my girls need me asking everyone for your prayers much Appreciated 🙏

Thank you

Hello Sir,I am sufferring from right arm pain with numbness of right hand.Local doctor did MRI cervical spine and told I have degenerative cervical myelopathy, at C3- C7 level needs decompression.Can you give your opinion for my treatment please.

I had disk replacement 3 to 7 spinal stenosis, plate 8 screws, I'm almost sixty, I refuse to quit quality of life, some pain but tolerable waiting for it to fuse

Great info

Initial results have been awesome but Dang, now 2 years 3 months after C-4 C-5 fusion some symptoms of original problem have resurfaced. They are somewhat mild at this point but I'm afraid they my get progressively worse. Right now and dull ache and and tight muscles top inside of left shoulder blade like a charley horse. At their worst state before surgery I had that plus left arm weakness and atrophy of deltoids and triceps. Basically the area was becoming paralyzed. Severe cramping and pain of the left triceps as the pinched nerve was firing. Also pain at back of neck above the left shoulder blade. The thing that gave me the most relief at that time (was not taking pain killers only ibuprofen) was an ice pack at base of my neck just above left shoulder blade. Heat made the pain worse. I am suspecting arthritis is encroaching again into the facet nerve canal. Have an appointment to go have it checked out next week.

I had the acdf surgery c5/c6. The nerves regrowing is trippy

Thanks, you just answered a couple of questions I had , I had the fusion surgery 3 weeks ago on the C-4. C-5. .. I'm having pain between the shoulder blades and having aches in the back of my neck.. the problems I had before the surgery are gone.. to me it's nothing short of a miracle.. you doctor's are amazing.. I think I'll be fine in a few more weeks..

Please explain on Posterior Cervical fusion🙏

Dr. Oehme... The title of your video scared me. I expected a ' Don't let them cut you!! rant. Dr. Ali Bydon of Johns Hopkins did mine last September. ...which included the minor side effects you noted. I have lost most of my gravel voice .. the base neck pain was short-lived .. the throat constriction has gone. BUT, I was unable to walk into the hospital due to the heavy sciatica pain and my R-arm was full of electricity: those issues were gone in PACU. I wore a collar in advance for a few weeks and for two months thereafter. I was driving in 10 days and went back to working outside with all the typical tools you use on a large property. I view pain levels as similar to the temperature gauge in my car - I avoid pushing it into the Red, but I also do not take many meds to mask it. This was nicely presented. I would suggest other docs link to it. Jim

Hi! I'm having this surgery the day after tomorrow and I'm very scared. My main concern is having nerve damage and spinal damage. I'm scared of waking up to me being temp paralysed. I have done my research and this has calmed me a lot more. I trust the doctors will so their best.

I saw neurosurgeon surgeon today after a 5 year wait and am in for fusion of C5/6 in 3 days as had signs of myolopathy. Have to admit I am worried about fusion at age 60 as have multi-level degeneration and anteriolesthesis at C3/4 and severe osteophyte formations and stenosis at C6/7, so am worried that it may cause a lot of problems with the joints above and below the fusion much earlier. If it does what happens then?

My thyroid was affected after my AC/DC surgery. What can I do?

I’m getting surgery this Doctor made me feel a lot better about it can I ask anybody with experience will I have mobility in my neck afterwards

What an honest Doctor!!! Most probably you don't live in the US!

Thank you. Just want the headache to go away.

We will never be same….done c4-c7 acdf 16 months ago and fell more bad then good …the worst part is when my neurosurgeon say I did my job and now you can see pain doctor ….

Getting my balance an walking around again...thank God my bf loves me or I would be in trouble

Can you swallow tablets after this surgery or not do you get pcp for 24hrs for pain

what is the future of neck surgeries. will the risks be lower let's say in 5 years? 10 years? when will doctors. use robot for higher precision?

On the last part of your interview, do you mean the the surgery is more for treating arm pain, numbness or loss of strength rather than just neck pain?

I’m 60 getting this in a few days scared to death at this moment but I have a nerve caught and I’m so afraid of the process

thanks for video and info it makes me fell a little better... I am waiting for operation c6/c7 (aprox 2-3 month) and i am shit-scared....

I am 8 days done with my surgery, I am so happy with the result, and the power started to go back to my right hand but I have been having muscle tension in my thorasic spine muscles and they are giving me hard time sleeping. After all I am glad I did this surgery after 22 years of pain.

I have had the surgery Aug 17th 2021

Mines coming on the 29th here in Florida. Had me all excited about getting a deeper voice. then said its permanent in less than 1% of people and ruined my dreams! lol

I’m 27 years old and I just hit my 2 week post op for a multilevel disk replacement at c5-c6 and c6-c7. Everything is running very smooth, seem to have more mobility in my neck then I thought I would after 2 weeks in a brace. I am noticing the cluster of what felt like knots in my left shoulder to be gone. Only weird things I’m noticing is the muscles feel as if they’re caught and ripping (most likely just super tight muscles being stretched) and the worst thing I’ve had to deal with so far is numbness of the skin around my incision sight… hopefully I regain feeling in the skin.

Hello doctor please tell me post ACDF recovery and what to do for speedy recovery

I just had C4-C5 replaced on 12/30. My underlying issue was left arm weakness and atrophied muscles. Surgery was flawless so far. I’m uncomfortable but not in a ton of pain. Still on meds but my c section was 1000x worse than this

I have to get a C4-C7 fusion and I am a singer, a tenor. Is it a guarantee that my voice will change or is it just temporary?

What are the chance of being paralyzed if you don’t have the surgery

I had c5/6 6/7 decompression and fusion 24 years ago, they took a chunk of my hip bone and used that in the fusion, but after all this time i am still in considerable pain, plus i have to take fentanyl and morphine to help with pain, so be careful what you wish for, good luck. PS my surgery was in the UK.

Why is fusion used instead of a disc replacement or endoscopic surgery to remove the herniation or kyphoplasty for foraminal stenosis? Can this be done in the cervical spine? Thank you.

I need neck surgery. My left arm goes numb and tingly. X-rays and MRIs show the disc in my neck are touching each other pinching nerve. X-ray technician says it's severe. Chiropractor has been trying to traction neck out. It's not working. My problem is I can not afford to have surgery. So I just suffer. I still go work everyday

I had a c4,c5 fusion in 2021(2 years ago) since day 1 the incision did not close properly, leaking pus for the last 2 years. I have been on 8 rounds of antibiotics including 2 rounds for methicillin resistant bacteria. In those 2 years I have had cat scan , mri , esophageal studies, been from dermatologist to ENT to neurosurgery, wound care doctors, ... ENT , this last accessed it 1 year ago and found a tract (a "canula/straw" type of tissue removed, incision is open again with yellow viscous pus draining daily, ) All the studies show only a tract again, no problem with the equipment , no problem with the esophagus.. I am currently with a different neurosurgeon,... and they (as the last) don't have a clue... I'm in North Carolina... who else would you advise me to visit?

I just had surgery this week. My pain level is 5-9. We will see if it is worth it. The Doctor and his staff were very professional. My main concern is the swelling of my throat. I cannot swallow and I feel as if I have Liquid in my throat.

My neck was broken. Pain.

My left lung collapsed 14 days after acdf c4/c5. Still in pain and in left lung due to scarring after decordication of trapped left lung. Big surgery , impressively painful. ( lol) long recovery. No one seems to know what happened. I’m still in pain and chiropractor now says I have scoliosis. What is happening ?

I had my ACDF C-4 to C-7 fusion in 2012, and has worked till now 2021 where I am going to have extra work done as the pains have started again, but this time I am going for the disc replacement, they say 10 years without pain is a good result, but some of the information Dr Oehme has told you is rubbish. I had a solid and soft collar fitted for my neck size a week before the operation, I wore the solid collar for 6 weeks while up, and the soft collar in bed. I stayed in the hospital for a week after the operation, and a week in rehab, I feel all the problems below are because you were giving the wrong advice of what to do after your operation, and didn't give your neck the time to heal properly

Hi, I am 5 months post op from a c5 c6 disc replacement. After 3 months a lot of my nerve pain and burning symptoms in shoulder blade and neck stiffness returned. I was told the nerves are healing. Is this normal to feel symptoms months after? How long does it take to be pain free?

Sir please I need your Advice someone please help me my mother having pain in her left shoulder and in left hand and in her left hand she loosing energy .... Is there surgery needed ??.... She is very afraid of surgery please help me

Has anyone had acdf on c-1 c-2 c-3 not sure if i want to do it He said my neck might have even less movement

Hi you mention the stretching of the nerve which affects the voice. I've been singing for over 30 years it is a hobby and my life and greatest pleasure are you saying I could lose this?

My neck is doing better just have had to learn a few things again

What about the vertigo ? I had it once and a while , also I am dizzy all the time

What about implant rejection..??

When he says cervical is sounds like severe lol

just absolutely horrible , an orthopedic surgeon named stephen rizzolo lied on my medical records after putting hardware in my neck and entangling nerves within , i'm dying but the hospital and everyone has gotten away with it , anyone know of doctors in the u.s that might be willing to remove / or somehow fix my vertabrae

Dear sir, my problem severe scoliosis. Now C6-7 severe spinal canal stenosis. My left left very stiffness. Full body muscles weakness. Walking very difficult. Some doctors advice surgery. Surgery risk or normal? Surgery after recovery time pls?

Scared shitless.so many variable stories.

Didn't talk about disc replacement. Talked about fusion, what's the difference?

I had laminectomy surgery c4-5-6 in 2003 at age 36 due to spinal stenosis took me 3 month to recuperate but felt like a new man. then in 2016 acdf c4-5-6 but 2 month postoperative I developed severe neck, head left arm pain weakness in both legs. The pain is so debilitating that I was never able to return back to work and still have to walk with a cane. After 2 CT scan with myleograms it was noticed that my C7-T2 have fused on there own and my upper levels c2-3 are fused at the disc level. My orthopedic surgeon says he can no longer help me and washed his hands of me. I had a second opinion a week ago from his competition but they know each other well and was told that I was perfectly fine and that the fusion was solid and could return to work with no limitations. He never explained to me either why I still had pain and worse since after the acdf 4 years ago. I just want to live again and enjoy life and go back to work. Can you give me some advice please. I also had electro study done and have moderate to severe carpal tunnel syndrome due to nerve root cut of c6-c7 and again t1-t2. My left pinky and finger next to it go numb. Also every morning when I wake up my whole left side from neck to bottom of my feet are numb. Please can you give me or someone else give me some advise Thanks

Had my surgery 1/25/22 at 6am its 1am 1/26/22. I had c4 to c5 disk replaced. I wa supposed to go he today but my neck started to swell and I couldn't drink or eat. Didn't even have pain or nerve issues before the surgery. It was a risk reduction surgery .no I need a feeding tibe and can't even swallow water

Hey doc , my incision is red and still sore all the stitches haven’t gone yet it’s going on 5 weeks is that normal?

Dottore buonasera. Ho 38 anni ed ho fatto un artrodesi C5 C6 e da due anni quasi ho problemi alla gola. Asse laringo tracheale non centrata alla colonna difficoltà nel deglutire,gola chiusa , e mal di gola. Cosa posso fare è una situazione terribile

I had this surgery in 2019. I had no problems until about a week later, when I got a blood clot in my lung that almost killed me.

I will be having my surgery on 13.11.21. I have problem in c5 c6 c7.My C6 will be removed completely.The disks between C5 and C7 will be removed.A cylindrical titanium cage will be placed between c5 and c7 and a plate will be fixed with screws in c5 and c7. These are the symptoms that i am having pre surgery:- 1.Tingling sensation in left thumb and indes finger. 2. Simetimes the left hand goes numb. 3. No pain in neck region and a rare pain in left shoulder. Now my question is:- 1.After surgery will i have unimaginable pain and numbness? 2.How many days it will take to return to my normal life without any hassle anymore(pain or numbness)? 3.Will i have to live rest of my life in restricted way?

My friend had a neck surgery in the morning 2 days ago here in Texas. They had to redo it in the afternoon because there were swelling and bleeding and she cannot move her legs. She's in ICU now and still has a paralyzed leg. The doctor said she needs to undergo rehabilitation and not sure for how long. The docysaid she has a bruised spinal. Can she still walk and how long will the rehab takes place. When we ask the nurses and doctors they said not sure..one at a time😥

I dont care what the risks are im definitely getting surgery...i should have had surgery in 2006 when i injured my neck... IT'S not hurting but it's pinching a nerve i cant concentrate, focus, and confusion, vertigo, tinnitus, and light headed. Im 67 yrs old with COPD. Im so afraid a surgeon won't do it. Is that possible? I cant go on living with these symptoms, im not MYSELF. Oh yeah, im ALWAYS on the edge....

Mine was C4/C5. ACDF 7 years ago. OUTPATIENT. 14 days after surgery left lung collapsed at home. Long story short. Plural effusion and trapped lung. They had to open my chest . A couple weeks in SICU . I survived took almost a year to fully recover. I’m now in more pain than ever. I can’t do it again . I’m terrified of a repeat and now I can’t tell my dr I’m in pain. He did put me on gabapentin to help with pain. ,ext concern is that I am a migraine patient. I’m on beta blockers since the early 90s and rescue meds Triptans. I don’t know what to do . How do I help myself ?

I’m the unlucky one who ended up with nerve damage and now neuropathy

I was supposed to have a c6 and 7 fusion but they claimed once they moved my trachea to the side, they had to max out the air machine to make me breathe. Nobody knows why. I've seen a pulmonologist and everything and he said theres no signs of any lung issues that would have caused it. Now I'm stuck with a scar on my throat. Ever heard of this happening?

My husband had ACDF surgery on June 16, 2022. His hospital stay should've been 2 days, it was 2 weeks. They did swallow tests and everything was swollen in there and he was having silent aspiration. He had to have a stomach feeding tube put in before leaving the hospital. He's had barium swallow tests every 3 to 4 weeks and it is looking better, no aspiration, but epiglottis is still not back to normal. Epiglottis is supposed to close over airway when you eat or drink to keep food or drink from going into lungs. His dr said husband is first patient of his that this has happened to. Speech therapist said this is more common than people think. My husband is getting better but just a warning that this can happen. He had no idea.

Dr did public hospital in Melbourne paid you to tell people about the risks with neck surgery ? To avoid doing in public hospitals ? I have all the disk in my neck bone to bone nerve impingement arms pain weakness in my hand and surgeon at Melbourne hospital refuse to consider surgery I have lot pain can’t lift my neck backwards headache take morphine daily I got full spinal degenerations with bulge disk nerve compression no surgery offer Why Do you work in public hospitals ? You seems young for neck or spine surgery

A 10% risk of adjacent segment disease? Did I just see your nose become very long? Orthopedic surgeons know the complications, but they just try to talk you into having the surgery. Surely, the benefits can outweigh the risks of not having the surgery, but please don't play dumb with us.

Is anyone death for the surgery??

Have you noticed this guy doesn't take 1 minute to reply?

The healthcare system is a scam and these doctors should be ashamed of themselves for still continuing with this surgery. It ruins peoples lives. I am 4 months post op after a C6 7 T1 fusion. I have so many more problems then I had before surgery. My surgeon did not tell me I have a reverse curve before the surgery and that it is what caused the discs to degenerate in the first place. Having excessive force on the discs is so painful. Now I can not return to work and have applied for disability. I really hope one day they stop this procedure and more people start to use the laser disc repair like Deukspine institute in Florida.

Very little risk, its all about choosing an experience surgeon who’s had many years of experience which a team checking the nerves whiles the surgery happens but with all surgeries anyone can get a blood clot, a famous wrestler got a blood clot

A little scary when the surgeon can’t pronounce cervical…

He can’t pronounce cervical

We will never be same….done c4-c7 acdf 16 months ago and fell more bad then good …the worst part is when my neurosurgeon say I did my job and now you can see pain doctor ….