<unk><unk><unk>  The neurosurgeon or orthopedic surgeon enters the space between two discs through a small incision in front (=<unk>  of and at the right or left side of the neck. The disc is completely removed, as well as arthritic bone spurs. The disc material, pressing on the spinal nerve or spinal cord, is then completely removed. The intervertebral foramen, the bone channel through which the spinal nerve runs, is then enlarged with a drill giving the nerve more room to exit the spinal canal. To prevent the vertebrae from collapsing and to increase stability, the open space is often filled with a graft. That can be a bone graft, taken from the pelvis or cadaveric bone; or an artificial implant. The slow process of the bone graft joining the vertebrae together is called "fusion". Sometimes a titanium plate is screwed on the vertebrae or screws are used between the vertebrae to increase stability during fusion, especially when there is more than one disc involved.
Anterior cervical discectomy and fusion
Microsurgical lumbar laminoplasty
Intervertebral disc arthroplasty
Intervertebral disc annuloplasty
Interbody fusion cage
Instrumented posterior lumbar interbody fusion
Occipital cryoneurolysis
Condylar decompression