The reason why Ko Hyun-chul couldn't recover even after neck disc surgery

Hyeon Cheol, a trot singer who gained great popularity in the 1980s and 1990s with hit songs such as 'Bongseonhwa Yeonjeong' and 'I Hate It, I Dislike It,' passed away on the night of the 15th at the age of 82. According to the story of Hyeon Cheol's spouse introduced on a broadcast in April of this year, the late suffered a cervical spine (neck bone) injury about five years ago, which also affected the surrounding nerves. At that time, he underwent cervical disc surgery and rehabilitation therapy, but due to his advanced age, recovery was slow, and he died from an underlying illness while recuperating.

Cervical spine passing through the central nervous system... If injured, paralysis symptoms often appear.

The cervical spine is the pathway through which the central nervous system, composed of the brain and spinal cord, passes. Because of this, injuries to the cervical spine are often accompanied by damage to the central nervous system.

Cervical disc herniation can be caused by traffic accidents, falls, or poor posture. Because it can compress or damage not only peripheral nerves but also the central nervous system, it can be more dangerous than lumbar disc herniation.

Pain occurring from the neck to the arm and shoulder, weakness and numbness in the hands are common symptoms, often accompanied by headaches and dizziness. Depending on the extent of central nervous system damage, it is common for symptoms to go beyond simple numbness to paralysis of parts of the body such as the arms, hands, and legs. This is because the spinal cord controls sensation and movement in the arms, legs, and other parts of the body.

Difficulty using chopsticks, problems with fine motor skills, gait disturbances, lower limb sensory abnormalities, and paralysis of the lower limbs may occur. However, if paralysis occurs in the cervical spine at levels 3 to 4, it can affect diaphragm function, making even breathing difficult. In particular, 'acute cervical disc herniation' with paralysis severe enough to impair daily activities requires emergency surgery.

Professor Moon Bong-joo of the Spine Neurosurgery Department at Gangnam Severance Hospital explains, "Paralysis caused by cervical disc issues is similar to paralysis caused by stroke or cerebral hemorrhage, as both result from damage to the central nervous system." He adds, "Once nerves are damaged, recovery is difficult due to their nature." Professor Moon states, "A damaged nerve is like trying to pour water into a leaky jar," and emphasizes, "To stop the leak, surgery should be performed promptly to remove the disc pressing on the nerve, followed by rehabilitation therapy."

Cervical disc herniation occurs when the disc in the neck vertebrae protrudes or ruptures, compressing the cervical nerves and causing pain or numbness symptoms. [Source=Korean Medical Association]

Recovery status after cervical disc surgery and the preoperative paralysis condition are important.

Professor Moon said that the prognosis of cervical disc surgery and rehabilitation treatment is most dependent on the paralysis status before surgery. He stated, "If the patient could walk before surgery, they can walk afterward as well, but if the paralysis was severe, recovery after surgery is difficult," and "Most patients who undergo rehabilitation after surgery due to paralysis do not recover from the previous paralysis."

Especially, if the symptoms are severe enough to cause paralysis of both arms and legs, surgery is likely to result in a state of being bedridden (lying down for care). Moreover, if the patient is elderly, recovery is difficult even with concurrent rehabilitation therapy. In other words, since they cannot move, they quickly become weakened, making recovery increasingly difficult and easily falling into a vicious cycle of complications.

On the other hand, Professor Moon explained that adverse effects such as paralysis symptoms that did not occur before are virtually nonexistent in cervical disc surgery. This is because the medical team performs the procedure in a way that minimizes nerve disturbance as much as possible.

The surgical site is incised on the front of the neck towards the chest and abdomen, rather than the back of the neck where the central nervous system passes through. Therefore, the most common surgical side effects are blood pooling at the surgical site or changes in the voice. If blood pooling occurs, reoperation is performed promptly, and voice changes generally recover naturally after about six months. The most serious complications are vascular or esophageal injuries, but these are very rare.

Professor Moon emphasized that "urgent emergency surgery is necessary for acute patients with paralysis" and "the patient's family or guardians should also be aware of this and respond quickly." On the other hand, he stated that for non-acute patients who are still able to perform daily activities, it is preferable to carefully decide on the treatment method together with medical staff.

Professor Moon said, "If you are able to carry out daily activities to some extent, you can endure pain relief through medication and nerve injections, so I recommend recovery treatment over immediate surgery." He also added, "If surgery is being considered, even if you are somewhat distressed by pain, it is better to seek consultation from experienced specialized medical professionals rather than making an immediate decision for surgery based solely on the recommendation of a single hospital or medical staff."