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Spinal fusion for low back pain: 10 facts to know

Author: Anuj Gupta
by Anuj Gupta
Posted: Dec 14, 2016

A type of back surgery called spinal fusion is becoming a popular choice among patients suffering from a condition called spinal stenosis. This condition is characterized by slowness and decreased mobility, which also decreases the capability of an individual to conduct daily activities smoothly.

Spinal stenosis occurs when the spinal canal is narrowed due to degeneration of both the intervertebral discs and the facet joints. Doctors nowadays recommend this to treat older adults suffering from lumbar spinal stenosis.

This may sound complex, however, it is just like a normal surgery that fuses together the bones of the spine in the lower back. The fusion, thus, prevents the movement between different vertebral bones.

However, it is definitely not the first line of treatment that doctors recommend. This treatment is considered only when other conventional treatment such as physical therapy and medications do not work properly.

Spinal fusion may seem like a frightening procedure, however, it helps provide a new life to the patients with severe spine disorders or deformities. This surgery can be conducted using minimally-invasive technique and the patients experience much less pain during and after the procedure.

Some of the facts associated with spinal fusion surgery are discussed below:

IT IS A "WELDING" PROCEDURE

As the name indicates, spinal fusion refers to the "fusion" of some of the vertebrae in the lumbar region of the spine. In fact, it is a type of a "welding" procedure, used to weld or fuse together small bones of the spines to correct problems associated with it. The fused vertebrae, after the surgery, look like a single, long piece of bone.

IT IS PERFORMED BY A TEAM OF SPECIALIST DOCTORS

It takes several medical experts to perform a successful spinal fusion surgery. The team of specialist doctors mostly includes neurosurgeons and orthopedic surgeons. While an orthopedic surgeon leads the team performing spinal fusion, the actual procedure is most often performed by neurosurgeons. These doctors specialize in surgery that involves the nerves, spine and the brain.

IT HELPS ELIMINATE PAIN

One of the biggest advantages to getting spinal fusion is that it has the potential to drastically reduce pain or eliminate it altogether. It may seem like a complex medical procedure, but it definitely helps people get relief from constant and severe pain due to spinal disorders.

IT CAN BE CONDUCTED USING THREE DIFFERENT GRAFTS

There are three different types of graft that can be used to perform spinal fusion. During the procedure, the space between the vertebrae is filled with a type of bone graft – autograft (piece of bone taken from the patient), allograft (bone taken from human cadaver or synthetic (artificial bone used in combination with autograft or allograft).

IT HELPS TREAT DIFFERENT TYPES OF DEFORMITIES, DISORDERS AND SPINAL TRAUMATIZED

Spinal fusion can be used to treat patients with different types of disorders related to the spine. For example, it is used to treat patients with a fractured bone in the spine or an infection causing deformity. In addition, it is also used to correct different types of degenerative disc diseases such as spinal stenosis, spondylolisthesis, kyphosis and scoliosis.

More: https://blog.lyfboat.com/spinal-fusion-for-low-back-pain-10-facts-to-know/

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Author: Anuj Gupta

Anuj Gupta

Member since: Jun 06, 2016
Published articles: 11

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