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Cervical spine surgery
- No.1 in London for private spinal care
- Appointments confirmed in as little as 24 hours
- Widest range of private spinal treatments in London
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CERVICAL SPINE SURGERY AT HCA UK
Why choose us?
You’ll be looked after by a spinal team that includes some of the UK’s leading spinal and neurosurgical consultants. Their experience and expertise mean every aspect of your treatment will be tailored specifically to your needs.
Using advanced imaging technology, they’ll quickly and accurately diagnose your neck or back pain, decide the most effective course of treatment and get you back to doing the things you love. This is an approach that has helped many people just like you, and it’s why 97% of our orthopaedic patients says they’d recommend HCA UK to their family and friends*.
Using advanced imaging technology, they’ll quickly and accurately diagnose your neck or back pain, decide the most effective course of treatment and get you back to doing the things you love. This is an approach that has helped many people just like you, and it’s why 97% of our orthopaedic patients says they’d recommend HCA UK to their family and friends*.
Your neck is part of your spine, and it’s made up of interconnected bones, nerves, tendons, ligaments and muscles. It’s common to develop wear and tear as you get older.
This often involves disc bulging, thickening of the ligaments around the spinal cord and overgrowth of the facet joints which can compress the nerve roots or spinal cord and cause nerve pain. If medication or physiotherapy aren’t helping, your consultant might suggest cervical spine surgery.
This often involves disc bulging, thickening of the ligaments around the spinal cord and overgrowth of the facet joints which can compress the nerve roots or spinal cord and cause nerve pain. If medication or physiotherapy aren’t helping, your consultant might suggest cervical spine surgery.
Our spinal and neurosurgical consultants take a multi-disciplinary approach, working together to advise on the best treatment plan for your condition.
Some of the most common treatments we offer are:
Some of the most common treatments we offer are:
- Anterior cervical discectomy and fusion
- Cervical disc replacement
- Posterior cervical decompression
- Posterior cervical foraminotomy (open or minimally invasive)
Cervical decompression involves removing tissue that’s pressing against or trapping a nerve and causing pain. Common types of cervical decompression surgery include:
- Cervical laminectomy, which removes your lamina (the back part of a vertebra) to enlarge your spinal canal and relieve pressure
- Cervical foraminotomy, which removes part of your lamina where the nerve root exits the spine
- Cervical laminoplasty, which cuts through your lamina to create space in your spinal canal and reconnects the bone with small plates
- Anterior decompression, which removes the disc from the front to free up the spinal cord and nerve roots
Spinal fusion techniques include cervical spinal fusion surgery, in which screws, rods, metal cages and plates are used to stabilise your spine by limiting the motion between your vertebrae. Spinal fusion is the most performed surgery for displaced or prolapsed discs in the neck.
A front (anterior) surgical approach provides direct access to your cervical discs and other structures in the front of your neck. Your specialist spinal surgeon will usually use an anterior approach if they need to operate on three discs (or segments) or fewer to stabilise your spine.
Your consultant is likely to use a back (posterior) approach to your neck when you need treatment on more than three segments of your neck, or when they need to remove enlarged facet joints and thickened ligaments that are compressing your spinal cord or nerve.
An increasing number of both treatments are minimally invasive. This means they can be done through a small opening (incision), leading to a smaller and less painful wound and a shorter hospital stay with a faster recovery time.
Your consultant will be able to advise which is the best treatment for you.
Your consultant is likely to use a back (posterior) approach to your neck when you need treatment on more than three segments of your neck, or when they need to remove enlarged facet joints and thickened ligaments that are compressing your spinal cord or nerve.
An increasing number of both treatments are minimally invasive. This means they can be done through a small opening (incision), leading to a smaller and less painful wound and a shorter hospital stay with a faster recovery time.
Your consultant will be able to advise which is the best treatment for you.
No.1
in London for private orthopaedic and spinal care
30+
different spinal treatments with care tailored to you
97%
of our patients are likely to recommend us to family and friends
Fast access to specialists
appointments bookable online or by phone
Expert orthopaedic treatments
from specialist spinal consultants
State-of-the-art diagnostics
with results in as little as 48 hours
Cervical spine surgery
What to expect
Nerve pain coming from your spinal cord or spinal nerve root compression can be extremely painful and difficult to live with. Our consultant-led teams are here to help you through what can be an uncomfortable time with personalised, one-to-one care. We’ll keep you informed about what’s happening, every step of the way, helping you to feel confident, safe and free to discuss all your options.
01
Initial consultation
You can self-refer or come to us via a referral from your GP, physiotherapist, osteopath or chiropractor. In this initial exploratory consultation, one of our spinal specialists will ask you about your symptoms and conduct a thorough initial examination to get a good picture of your spinal health.
02
Investigations and diagnosis
Your spinal specialist may suggest various tests to look at your cervical spine in more detail and get a better idea of the specific cause of your pain. Typically, this will be an MRI scan or an X-ray to help them see what’s causing the problem.
Your results will also be reviewed by a specialist musculoskeletal or neuro radiologist. They’ll discuss their findings with your consultant to gain the most detailed picture of your condition. Your consultant will then explain your treatment options to you and recommend the best way forward.
03
Treatment
Your consultant will collaborate with their surgical colleagues and you to create a treatment plan designed to addresses your specific pain issues. They’ll let you know what’s going to happen at every stage of the process.
04
Aftercare
You’ll have a clear after-surgery care plan which you should follow to ensure a smooth and successful recovery. Your spinal team will be here for you for as long as you need them.
Locations
You can access our specialist spinal services at locations throughout London and in our flagship Birmingham hospital, The Harborne. From your initial consultation through to treatment and next steps, you’ll be treated by some of the country’s most respected experts.
The Lister Hospital
Chelsea Bridge Road SW1W 8RH London
London Bridge Hospital
27 Tooley Street SE1 2PR London
The Princess Grace Hospital
42-52 Nottingham Place W1U 5NY London
Accessing private healthcare
Self-pay
You don’t need health insurance to be seen quickly. If you’re looking for a diagnosis or treatment and don’t want to wait, all our private healthcare services – from private GP appointments through to surgery and aftercare – can be paid for as and when you need them.
And to give you peace of mind from the start, we’ll offer you a clear and transparent quote outlining exactly what treatments you’re paying for.
Find out more
FAQ
If you’re considering surgery to relieve your neck pain, you’ll have a wide choice of orthopaedic spinal surgeons and neurosurgeons at HCA Healthcare UK. Our spinal teams are multidisciplinary and collaborate to get the best approach.
You can use our consultant finder to pick a spinal consultant in London or the West Midlands that specialises in treating cervical neck pain, at a location that’s most convenient for you.
You can use our consultant finder to pick a spinal consultant in London or the West Midlands that specialises in treating cervical neck pain, at a location that’s most convenient for you.
Everyone is different, and your specific condition and surgery will affect your recovery time. Your spinal consultant will talk to you about your treatment and how long it might take to recover.
We know you want to get back to normal life as soon as possible, but it’s important to give your neck enough time to rest and heal properly. The severity of your problem, how generally healthy you are and how closely you follow your after-surgery care plan will all impact your recovery time.
We know you want to get back to normal life as soon as possible, but it’s important to give your neck enough time to rest and heal properly. The severity of your problem, how generally healthy you are and how closely you follow your after-surgery care plan will all impact your recovery time.
Most people who have neck surgery will feel significant relief from pain. However, the surgery doesn’t address the cause of the original damage so, in some patients, the effects of the surgery may not be permanent.
Your consultant will be able to talk you through any potential steps you can take to avoid or lessen the chances of your pain returning.
Our patients’ spinal stories
Back on track: How surgery helped a visitor from America get free from pain
Brandon Zuck had just arrived in the UK from America. It was the beginning of a holiday he’d been looking forward to, a chance to catch up with friends, a little sightseeing. Needless to say, a complex surgical procedure was not on the must-do list.
Getting back to normal after spinal surgery: Ruth’s story
When consultant spinal surgeon Mr Robert Lee first glanced at the MRI scan of retired music teacher Ruth’s lumbar spine, he did a double take.
"I took an eight-hour flight to the States ten days after spinal surgery"
After suffering months of discomfort, Sara’s lower back and shooting leg pain became so excruciating she could barely stand, and was diagnosed with a slipped disc. Her consultant referred her to Mr Irfan Malik, a highly experienced consultant neurosurgeon at The Harley Street Clinic who could perform endoscopic ‘keyhole’ spinal surgery.
“The level of care and attentiveness I got at a small private hospital, was great – so focused. Everybody there was so accommodating, and right on top of everything the whole time.”
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- *Source: 2024 patient satisfaction surveys
This content is intended for general information only and does not replace the need for personal advice from a qualified health professional.