An Anterior Cervical Discectomy and Fusion (ACDF) procedure is a type of spine surgery that surgeons perform through an incision made on the front of the neck.
After exposing the front (anterior) of the spine, your surgeon will remove the damaged intervertebral disc and replace it with either a piece of donor bone or an implant made of metal or plastic and filled with natural bone material. Bone material may come from your own bone (autograft) or from a donor (allograft). If taken from your own body, this bone is usually harvested from the hip area.
Your surgeon may also place a stabilization device, such as a metal plate with screws, to help provide support to the vertebral segment until spinal fusion occurs. If successful, spinal fusion will typically take place in the weeks and months following surgery, and can be assessed by your surgeon on imaging studies (e.g., x-rays) taken during follow-up visits.
As with any surgery, spinal surgery carries certain risks. Your surgeon will explain all the possible complications of the surgery, as well as side effects.
Your surgeon will make an incision to one side on the front of the neck. This incision may be up-and-down as shown below, or side-to-side depending on the levels needed to access. Through this incision, he/she will then gain exposure to the front of the cervical spine and locate the disc material that is putting pressure on, or compressing the spinal cord and/or nerves.
Your surgeon will use surgical instruments to remove the disc in order to alleviate pressure on the nerve. He/she will then place a piece of donor bone or an implant made of metal or plastic and filled with natural bone material between the vertebrae to help add stability and aid in the fusion process over time.
Once the implant is placed safely between the vertebrae, your surgeon will place a fixation device (e.g., metal plate) over the disc space and drill two holes in each vertebra. He/she will place screws through the device to secure the plate to the vertebra, which is designed to provide additional support while spinal fusion occurs. If successful, spinal fusion takes place in the weeks and months following surgery, and can be assessed by your surgeon on imaging studies (e.g., x-rays) taken during follow-up visits.
Your surgeon will close the incision and dress it with a wound covering at the conclusion of the surgery. Some patients require a cervical collar, or neck brace, for a short period of time after surgery. As with any surgery, spinal surgery carries certain risks. Your surgeon will explain all the possible complications of the surgery, as well as side effects.
