Cervical procedures
ACDF
Anterior cervical discectomy and fusion for nerve or cord compression in the neck.
Cervical Disc Replacement
Replaces a damaged neck disc while preserving motion at the treated level.
Posterior Cervical Fusion
Stabilizes the neck from the back when alignment, instability, decompression, or prior surgery requires posterior fixation.
Cervical Laminectomy
Creates more room for the spinal cord in the neck by removing the back portion of selected vertebrae.
Cervical Foraminotomy
Enlarges the opening where a cervical nerve exits to relieve arm pain, numbness, or weakness.
Cervical Laminoplasty
Expands the cervical spinal canal across several levels while preserving the posterior bony arch.
Minimally Invasive Cervical Fusion
Uses a limited approach to decompress and stabilize selected cervical levels while reducing tissue disruption where anatomy permits.
Lumbar procedures
Microdiscectomy
Minimally invasive decompression for selected patients with herniated-disc nerve pain.
Lumbar Foraminotomy
Widens the exit channel for a compressed lumbar nerve to address radiating leg symptoms.
Lumbar Laminectomy
Decompresses lumbar nerves crowded by spinal stenosis to improve leg symptoms and walking tolerance.
Lumbar Interspinous Device
Uses an implant between selected lumbar spinous processes to support decompression or stability in carefully selected cases.
Lumbar Disc Replacement
Replaces a selected painful lumbar disc with an artificial disc designed to preserve motion.
Anterior Lumbar Fusion
Stabilizes one or more lumbar levels through an approach from the front of the spine.
Posterior Lumbar Fusion
Stabilizes the lower spine from the back, often with decompression when nerves are compressed.
Minimally Invasive Lumbar Fusion
Stabilizes selected lumbar levels through smaller working corridors when that approach can meet the full surgical goal.
Reconstruction, stabilization, and implant technology
Use of spinal implants was directly confirmed. The spinal implants guide is a technology and implant overview, not a standalone operation.
Spinal Implants Overview
Explains how screws, rods, plates, cages, artificial discs, and other implants support a specific reconstruction.
Spinal Deformity Surgery
Corrects selected alignment problems through anterior, posterior, or combined reconstruction.
Scoliosis Surgery
Treats selected spinal curves and imbalance when progression, pain, function, or neurologic compromise warrants correction.
Spinal Fracture Stabilization
Protects the spinal cord and restores stability or alignment after selected cervical, thoracic, or lumbar fractures.
General educational overview
This regional comparison is the one general overview in the library; it is not an additional directly confirmed category.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Dr. Merola perform the procedures in this library?
Dr. Merola performs the 19 listed cervical, lumbar, deformity, scoliosis, fracture, and stabilization procedure categories. The general laminectomy page is a regional educational overview that links to the dedicated cervical and lumbar laminectomy pages.
Does being listed mean a procedure is right for me?
No. A procedure is considered only after an examination, imaging review, and a discussion of conservative options and individual risks.