The ACDF procedure aims to correct these conditions with a high level of success. During an ACDF, your surgeon will access the cervical spine through a small incision in the front of your neck. This incision allows the surgeon to avoid unnecessary damage to the muscles, nerves, and ligaments in the back of the neck. By accessing the spine from the front, your surgeon can gently move organs, tissues, and vascular structures to the side. This approach provides an unobstructed view of the affected discs, allowing the surgeon to use specialized, minimally invasive instruments to remove a portion or the entirety of the damaged disc. In case of bone spurs or foraminal narrowing, the surgeon will remedy these conditions through extraction or widening. Following disc removal, the surgeon will restore the space between the vertebrae by implanting a prosthetic spacer that is filled with the best source of bone graft material that suits your specific needs. The bone tissue can be sourced from existing bone in your hip, donor bone tissue, or synthetic materials. This bone graft, along with the insertion of screws, rods, and/or plates, will stabilize the vertebrae throughout the fusion process. During your recovery, the bone graft will encourage your own bones to grow in and around it, promoting long-term stability and lasting pain relief from disc pain.