Replay of
Safe, Effective Option For Cervical Spinal Stenosis
Anterior cervical decompression and spine fusion procedure alleviates pain & other physical effects.
June 19, 2007 at 5:30 PM CDT
(22:30 UTC)
From Memorial Hermann Southwest Hospital, Houston, TX
Spinal Fusion: Accomplished spinal surgeon, Mohammad Etminan, M.D., will demonstrate the safety and efficacy of an anterior cervical decompression and spine fusion procedure during a live, global Webcast broadcast from Memorial Hermann Southwest Hospital in Houston on Tuesday, June 19, at 5:30 p.m. CST. The procedure is designed to alleviate pain and other physical effects associated with cervical spinal stenosis, a serious spinal disorder characterized by deterioration of the spinal cord usually as a result of aging.
MORE...Spinal Fusion: Accomplished spinal surgeon, Mohammad Etminan, M.D., will demonstrate the safety and efficacy of an anterior cervical decompression and spine fusion procedure during a live, global Webcast broadcast from Memorial Hermann Southwest Hospital in Houston on Tuesday, June 19, at 5:30 p.m. CST. The procedure is designed to alleviate pain and other physical effects associated with cervical spinal stenosis, a serious spinal disorder characterized by deterioration of the spinal cord usually as a result of aging.
Cervical spinal stenosis is a disorder that causes the spinal column, the bony tube that protects the spinal cord, to narrow, putting the spinal cord at risk of getting compressed. As a direct result of the narrowing of the spinal column, patients can develop injury to the spinal cord and nerve function, known as cervical myelopathy. Cervical spinal stenosis most commonly affects males, although women also suffer from the disorder, and typically begins for persons in their 40s to 60s.
During the live Webcast, Dr. Etminan will make an incision in the front of the neck. The esophagus and trachea are moved aside to expose the disc. The affected disc is removed in its entirety, and after the pressure from the spinal cord and nerves have been eliminated, the graft is placed into the cavity. A plate and screws are placed to support the spine over the next several months as bone growth connects the vertebra. This fusion eliminates movement at the affected site and, in most cases, significantly reduces or eliminates pain, allowing the patient to resume normal activities.
