Anterior Cervical Corpectomy Spine Surgery in India - Benefits, Costs and Risks

What is cervical corpectomy spine surgery?

Like anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF), cervical corpectomy is performed through the front of the neck. Corpectomy means removal of the vertebral body, the major part of the cervical vertebra which looks like a building block. It is basically a long ACDF. Corpectomy is performed when two or more cervical discs need to be removed. For certain patients it is easier to remove two or more discs plus the intervening body or bodies. This is particularly true when there are osteophytes (bony spurs) behind the body and/or the disc space is narrow. By removing a cervical body there is a large area of exposure which is easier to work through rather than working down a narrow disc space.Corpectomy is done for much the same reasons as an ACDF but usually when there are two or more disc levels associated with bony spurs pressing on the spinal cord or, less often, for tumours of the cervical spine.

Benefits of Anterior cervical corpectomy spine surgery

Anaesthesia - General Anaesthetic is avoided.
Patient Feed back - Local anaesthetic protected patient feedback allows more accurate diagnosis and better targeted precise surgery.
Encouraging Clinical Outcomes - Clinical results indicate encouraging outcomes in at least 80% of patients sustained when examined 2 - 4 years later.
Blood loss - At least 10 times less than conventional surgery.
Nerve Damage - Patient feedback avoids nerve damage which is more likely with the patient in the unconscious state.
Complications - 7 times less than fusion and an order less severe.

How Much Does an Anterior cervical corpectomy spine surgery Cost?

The cost of an anterior cervical corpectomy spine surgery will vary based on the extent of the surgery. Spine surgery prices are also dependent on the surgeon you choose, your location, and other factors. Spine surgery can be affordable and there are several spine surgery financing options available to cover the cost of the procedure.

The cost usually involves three fees, including:
o Surgical fee
o Anesthesia fee
o Facility fee

Each of these fees is dependent on the extent of the surgery. Ultimately, the cost of the rhinoplasty procedure will depend on your individual needs and goals. In the initial consultation with a plastic surgeon, you can determine the surgical procedure that's right for you and discuss cost and financing options. Though nose job/rhinoplasty prices may be intimidating, the result can be well worth the money, especially if rhinoplasty is something you have

Risks of spine surgery

Infection
This may simply be an infection of the wound which requires some dressings, removal of a stitch and/or antibiotics. Deeper infection may require a return to theatre to drain the collection of pus. Infection may also affect the CSF (cerebrospinal fluid) around the nerve roots and spinal cord, which is called meningitis and requires hospitalisation and intravenous antibiotics, but is virtually always curable. Infection of an operated disc space or of bone often requires initial hospitalisation and intravenous antibiotics, and then several weeks or months of oral antibiotics, often supervised by an infectious diseases doctor.

Paralysis
Prior to surgery, there may already be some nerve or spinal cord damage causing muscle weakness. A nerve or the spinal cord may be already squashed and at increased risk of being injured because of the manipulation needed to try to free the nerve or spinal cord. Nerve or spinal cord damage may also affect control of the bladder and bowel.

Death
Death on the operating table is very rare. Death can occur with any surgery and usually occurs after the operation. The most common reasons are myocardial infarct (heart attack) due to the stress of the surgery, a rare reaction to a drug (anaphylaxis) or pulmonary embolus. I mention the risk of death or paralysis (stroke) to any patient having an operation, no matter how minor the procedure.

Anterior cervical corpectomy spine surgery in India

Price advantage is a major selling point. The slogan, thus is, "First World treatment' at Third World prices". The cost differential across the board is huge: only a tenth and sometimes even a sixteenth of the cost in the West. Dental, eye and cosmetic surgeries in Western countries cost three to four times as much as in India.

For long promoted for its cultural and scenic beauty, India is now being put up on international map as a heaven for those seeking quality and affordable healthcare. As Indian corporate hospitals are on par, if not better than the best hospitals in world and the country is becoming a preferred medical destination. In addition to the increasingly top class medical care, a big draw for foreign patients is also the very minimal or hardly any wait list as is common in European or American hospitals.