Should I Undergo a Thoracic Discectomy and Fusion Surgery?
A discectomy and fusion operation is nearly always the last possible treatment your doctor will consider to rid you of chronic back or neck pain. The highly invasive nature of the surgery and the unpredictability of the outcome make such a procedure far less desirable—not to mention more risky—than conservative treatments. This is especially true with regards to the thoracic spine. The Thoracic Spine – Discectomy and Fusion Challenges Ordinarily, a surgeon performing a discectomy—a procedure in which all or part of the intervertebral disc is excised—has a choice between approaching the spine from the anterior (front) or posterior (rear) angles. This decision depends, in part, upon the condition and its orientation. In choosing an anterior approach, the surgeon must push the contents of the abdomen aside if working on the lumbar spine or lower thoracic spine, or work around the trachea, esophagus, and multiple vital blood vessels while accessing the cervical spine through the front of t
