People who get an artificial disc can always opt for cervical fusion later.

But if a patient has cervical fusion first, it's not possible to later put an artificial disc in the same spot.

Discectomy with cervical fusion can help relieve the pain of spinal disc disease.

There are different methods of performing a cervical spinal fusion:

Although cervical spinal fusion stiffens part of the neck, this does not reduce neck flexibility for most people.

From 150,000 to 200,000 Americans undergo cervical fusion each year, according to various estimates.

In addition to lumbar fusions, cervical spinal fusions may also be performed on the neck.

The purpose of a cervical spinal fusion is also to join certain bones in the spine.

Additionally, cervical spinal fusion can be used to remove or reduce pressure on nerve roots caused by bone fragments or ruptured intervertebral disks.

This can have the effect of actually strengthening the bones, as in anterior cervical fusion.