A spinal fusion surgery is done to permanently connect two or more vertebrae in your spine, thereby eliminating motion between them.
Spinal fusion involves techniques designed to halt the normal healing process of broken bones.
How is it done?
Spinal fusion is a major surgery that usually lasts for several hours. There are different methods of spinal fusion. During a spinal fusion, the surgeon:
- Places a bone, taken from the pelvic bone or from a bone bank. The bone is used to make a bridge between vertebrae that are next to each other. This bone graft helps new bone grow.
- Metal implants are usually used to hold the vertebrae together until new bone grows between them.
Since spinal fusion surgery immobilizes parts of your spine, it would basically change the way your spine moves.
Thus, places additional stress and strain on the vertebrae above and below the fused portion, and may increase the rate at which those areas of your spine degenerate.
- Pain at the bone graft site.
- Failure of the fusion, breakage of metal implants, or both.
- Blood clots that may also lead to pulmonary embolism.
- Nerve injury.
- Graft rejection.
- Infection.
With this type of surgery, it is hard for a surgeon to predict which patient will improve and how much relief surgery will provide. That is why, losing weight and getting exercise increases your chances of feeling better post-surgery.
Since there are a lot of things to re-consider with spinal fusion, it is highly important to seek a second opinion before making a decision.
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