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Updated: Aug 8, 2026
Minimally Invasive Surgical Decompression of Occipital Nerves
Published on: September 13, 2024
Outcome study of surgical treatment for axial neck pain
1Department of Neurosurgery, Ochsner Clinic and Alton Ochsner Medical Foundation, New Orleans, LA 70121, USA.
Background:
We reviewed our surgical treatment of chronic axial cervical pain over a 4-year period to determine whether surgery in selected cases was associated with favorable outcomes.
Methods:
We retrospectively studied 27 consecutive cases (20 patients with follow-up) of longstanding axial cervical spine pain treated surgically by a single surgeon from June 1994 through August 1998. Diagnostic workup included the following when appropriate: Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI) with interview, provocative diskography (with a nonpainful control level), single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT), and diagnostic facet injection. Twenty patients (74%) responded to a postoperative telephone survey.
Results:
For general outcome measures, 85% of patients reported satisfaction with pain relief and surgical result. Ninety-five percent stated they would repeat the procedure; 85% manifested improvement in Prolo score.
Conclusions:
Surgical treatment of chronic axial neck pain, when preceded by thorough evaluation, can yield excellent clinical results.
