Anterior Cervical Discectomy and Fusion - ACDF: Symptoms, Classification, Diagnosis & Recovery

The surgical treatment for herniated or degenerative discs in the neck is called anterior cervical discectomy and fusion, or ACDF. To relieve pressure on the spinal cord or nerves, the surgeon creates an incision in the front (anterior) of the neck, removes the injured disc, and substitutes it with a bone graft. It is done in two steps:

Anterior cervical discectomy: It is performed from the front part of the throat. A disc of vertebrae is removed.

Fusion: This is performed to stabilise and strengthen the throat area. it is performed as soon as the discectomy is done

ACDF is frequently used to treat spinal compression-related neck pain, numbness, and weakness.