Spine Fusion Surgery Can Correct Several Back Problems

Spine fusion surgery is a procedure that joins, or fuses, selected vertebrae in the spine. Spine fusion surgery is indicated for certain specific spinal conditions. Several of these conditions include: worsening spinal deformity, such as scoliosis and kyphosis; spinal stenosis with instability; painful and unstable disc degeneration; arthritis of the spine with worsening sequelae; infections of the spine with bony destruction and instability; and spinal tumors requiring resection and spinal reconstruction. Several methods can be used to fuse bones in the spine. These can be performed from the front (anterior approach) or from the back (posterior approach). Bone can be taken from other parts of the body, usually from the hip/pelvis region, and is used to help achieve a fusion. An alternative to this includes cadaver bone from a “bone bank,” or synthetic material. Ultimately, regardless of the fusion material, the goal is to achieve a bridge between adjacent vertebrae they are normally separated by an intervertebral disc or a joint. The bone grafts or artificial materials stimulate the growth of new bone, which bonds adjacent vertebrae to each other as part of the growth process, thereby fusing the vertebrae to each other.

Customizing Spine Fusion Surgery to Each Patient’s Needs

Metallic implants which are most often made of titanium can be used to stabilize and hold the vertebrae together while the new bone grows between the vertebrae. In some cases, the intervertebral disc may be removed and the adjacent vertebrae fuse to each other, and in other cases, entire vertebrae may be removed, after which the spine is reconstructed with fusion materials and metallic implants. The procedure stiffens the spine where the vertebrae are fused, but generally patients do not perceive any loss in flexibility. The physicians at New Jersey Spine Specialists have performed spine fusion surgery for many patients throughout the New York-New Jersey metro region and for patients who live in towns like Short Hills, Westfield, and Florham Park. If you would like to learn more about advanced spinal care options available to you and the difference that they can make, please call or email us to schedule an appointment with one of our renowned board certified orthopedic spine surgeons.

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