1 Zahrawi F. Microlumbar discectomy. Is it safe as an outpatient procedure? Spine (Phila Pa 1976). 1994;19(9):1070-4. 2 Pugely AJ, Martin CT, Gao Y, Mendoza-Lattes SA. Outpatient surgery reduces short-term complications in lumbar discectomy: an analysis of 4310 patients from the ACS-NSQIP database. Spine (Phila Pa 1976). 2013;38(3):264-71.

Anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF) is a type of neck surgery that involves removing a damaged disc to relieve spinal cord or nerve root pressure and alleviate corresponding pain, weakness, numbness, and tingling. A discectomy is a form of surgical decompression, so the procedure may also be called an anterior cervical decompression.

The effect of short (2-weeks) versus long (6-weeks) post-operative restrictions following lumbar discectomy: a prospective randomized control trial. Eur Spine J. 2017;26(3):905-12. doi: 10.1007/s00586-016-4821-9. Driving and light activities can typically be resumed after about 2 …

The surgeon then removes the disc (a discectomy) at each end of the vertebral body that will be removed (e.g. C4-C5 and C5-C6 discs are removed to remove the C5 vertebral body). More than one vertebral body may be removed, if necessary.

Anterior cervical discectomy with fusion, or ACDF, is a surgery designed to relieve spinal cord or nerve root pressure in the neck by removing all or part of a damaged disc. This procedure starts with a one- to two-inch incision in the front of the neck. The thin layer of platysma muscle that lies under the skin is cut and moved aside.

3 Yankang L, Leiming Z, Lewandrowski KU, et al. Full endoscopic lumbar discectomy versus laminectomy for cauda equina syndrome. Int J Spine Surg. 2021;15(1):105-112. doi:10.14444/8014; 4 Li T, Shi L, Luo Y, Chen D, Chen Y. One-level or multilevel interbody fusion for multilevel lumbar degenerative diseases: a prospective randomized control ...

Predictive Factors of Successful Return to Work Following Discectomy. Global Spine J. 2022 May;12(4):627-630. doi: 10.1177/2192568220960399. Epub 2020 Sep 24. PMID: 32969278; PMCID: PMC9109552. 6 Overley SC, McAnany SJ, Andelman S, et al. Return to Play in Elite Athletes After Lumbar Microdiscectomy: A Meta-analysis.

Ice packs and heating pads.Heat and ice therapy can be helpful ways to alleviate pain. Applications should be limited to 15 or 20 minutes at a time, with at least 2 hours of rest in between, to protect your skin.

Patients typically go home the same day as the anterior cervical discectomy and fusion or after one night in the hospital. 1 Ban D, Liu Y, Cao T, Feng S. Safety of outpatient anterior cervical discectomy and fusion: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Eur J Med Res. 2016;21(1):34. See Outpatient Anterior Cervical Discectomy and Fusion (ACDF)

Similar to outpatient lumbar discectomy and laminotomy, approaches to a laterally located (to the side) cervical disc herniation or foraminal narrowing utilizes the same technique. Fluoroscopic guidance minimizes the incision, and tissue-splitting techniques reduce the impact to the muscles and ligaments of the spine.