Pre-Screening
for Neck Surgery
If you’ve had a whiplash injury or problems with your cervical spine (the part of your spine in your neck), surgery might be a good option for you. To find out if you’re eligible for surgery, we’ll look at your medical history and specific conditions you might have. This can include checking if you have herniated cervical discs (issues with the discs in your neck) or if your lower cervical spine isn’t stable.
Depending on what we find, you might need a surgery like a posterior cervical fusion (joining the bones in your neck from the back) or an anterior cervical decompression and fusion (working on your neck from the front).
But it’s important to know that this program is usually not meant for people who have cervical fractures (broken neck bones) or permanent spinal cord injuries. We’re here to help, but we want to make sure the treatment is the right fit for your specific situation.
Qualifying Factors
- Intractable Migraine Headaches and Tension Headaches
- Headaches originating with Cervical or neck pain (Cervicogenic Headaches)
- Neurological complaints as a result of Whiplash or similar neck trauma – collectively known as the Whiplash Associated Disorder or Cranial Cervical Syndrome (see symptoms)
- Post-whiplash Brain Fog, short-term memory problems, and confusion
- Primary Migraine Headaches: In rare cases of Cervical Digital Motion X-ray (DMX) proven C1-C2 instability in the absence of trauma, patients with intractable migraine headaches unresponsive to medical/neurological treatments may be candidates
- Arnold-Chiari Syndrome Type 1 patients are candidates for decompressive sub-occipital craniotomies, and if C1-C2 instability is present, they may be candidates for C1-C2 fusion.
Pre-screening Exams and Diagnostics:
Before you come to our center, it’s really important to have a thorough evaluation done by a skilled medical professional who knows all about the upper cervical spine – that’s the part of your spine in your neck. These professionals could include Chiropractic physicians, Medical doctors, Neurologists, Neurosurgeons, and Orthopedic Surgeons.
If you’re interested in our center’s services, don’t hesitate to ask your current medical provider to connect you with us. Your provider should also share your medical records and provide a digital file with recent pictures of your neck using special X-rays or scans. Sometimes, we might need to do new scans when you visit our center, especially if your old ones are too old and don’t accurately show your current medical condition. We want to ensure we have all the right information to help you.
Resources for where to get pre-screened:
Your local health provider, including chiropractic physicians, medical doctors, neurologists, neurosurgeons, and orthopedic surgeons, is your primary source for referring you to the essential pre-screening radiological studies required for surgery qualification.
Our office can direct you to facilities for your Digital Motion X-ray (DMX) and upright MRI scan. We can arrange for you to complete these studies near our office one day prior to your in-person visit.
Diagnostics & Tests for Neck Injury
Several diagnostic studies are valuable in determining if you are a candidate for the C1-C2 fusion and sub-occipital decompressive craniectomy.
Cervical Digital Motion X-ray (C-DMX)
Discover your cervical spine’s movement through a low-radiation digital fluoroscopic movie. This study identifies any C1-C2 instability or excessive movement. The pivotal part is the open-mouth odontoid view, where you gently tilt your head without rotation. It’s crucial to adhere to the instructions during the test, as this evaluation decides your eligibility for C1-C2 fusion. DMX is often found in specific Chiropractic Physician, Medical, Radiological, and Neurological offices.
Upright Positional Cervical MRI (CpMRI)
Experience an open MRI scan, seated upright for your comfort, as opposed to the standard flat position. This study identifies potential abnormalities in your cervical spine that could qualify you for the operation. These include ligament injury at C1-C2 explaining DMX instability, cerebellar tonsillar ectopia (CTE) causing post-traumatic descent of the lower cerebellum, C1 capsulosynovitis leading to inflammation and compression, as well as herniated cervical discs and osteophytes. During the scan, you’ll be guided to bend your neck in various stressed positions like flexion, extension, and lateral tilting, ensuring stillness for accurate results.
Other Useful Studies
For a comprehensive assessment, we recommend a complete cervical x-ray series with flexion and extension views, along with a CT scan of the Cervical spine. A Brain MRI scan can be helpful in ruling out brain-related causes of symptoms, though usually not essential.
