A spinal fusion surgery is performed to connect two or more vertebrae in your spine so that there is no motion between them. The spinal fusion is designed in such a manner that it imitates the normal healing process of the fractured bones. During the surgery, the surgeon will place a bone like material between the two vertebrae that stops further movement of the bones. The spinal fusion surgery is designed to immobilize the spinal cord for a natural healing process.
The spinal cord has 33 bones and each of them plays a significant role in your movement. But because the spinal fusion surgery affects a few of those important bones in your spine, it will alter the way you move. An unfortunate result of this operation is that the other vertebrae in your spinal column will face more stress. Those vertebrae are then likely to deteriorate at a faster rate.
Why is a spinal fusion surgery performed?
The fusion of two or more vertebrae in the spine help increase its stability. It also helps in the healing process after an accident and corrects deformities. The surgeons only recommend spinal fusion surgery in the following cases.
Broken vertebrae: If you fracture the vertebrae in the spinal column, there are chances that it gets healed by itself. All fractures do not require a spinal fusion surgery. But, if the broken vertebrae make the spinal column unstable, then a spinal fusion surgery will have to be performed.
Deformities: A spinal fusion surgery can prove to be extremely beneficial if you are suffering from a spinal column deformity. The surgery corrects several deformities like scoliosis (sideways curving of the spine) and kyphosis (abnormal round shape of the spine).
Instability of the spinal column: If there is an extreme motion between two vertebrae, the spinal cord can become unstable. This is a common problem faced by patients who have spinal arthritis. This surgery helps in improvement of the stability.
Spondylolisthesis: This is a disorder where in one vertebra falls forward onto another vertebra causing severe pain and nerve crowding. A spinal fusion surgery stops this movement to help treat this disorder.
Herniated disk: If you have a herniated disc, then after a successful hernia surgery, a spinal fusion surgery is recommended by the doctor to stabilize the spinal cord.
Risks involved
A spinal fusion surgery is normally a safe surgery, but it does carry some potential complications. Sometimes the area may suffer an infection, blood clotting, bleeding, poor healing, an injury to the nerves around the spinal cord, or even pain from where the bone graft was taken.
Preparation before the surgery
This mainly involves cleaning the surgical site of hair and washing it with antiseptic soap. Make sure you speak to your doctor about your ongoing medications as you may have to avoid certain medicines before the surgery.
The surgery
You will be given general anesthesia before the spinal fusion surgery, which means you will be unconscious throughout the process. The surgery can be performed with various techniques and depends on the location of the affected vertebrae. The surgery usually involves the following course of action:
Incision: The surgeon usually makes an incision in one of the few most common locations, the abdomen, the throat, the neck, or the back. The location of the incision usually depends on the location of the vertebrae to be fused.
Bone graft: The bone grafts that help in fusing the two vertebrae together generally comes from the bone bank or your own body. If the bone graft comes from your own bone then it usually comes from the pelvis area.
The process: To fuse the two vertebrae together the bone graft is placed between the vertebrae. Screws and metal plates are used to hold the bone graft in place so that the two vertebrae heal over them.
There are cases where the synthetic graft is used in place of the bone graft. The synthetic material promotes the growth of the vertebrae and speeds up the healing.
After the surgery
The patient has to stay in the hospital for two or three days after the spinal fusion surgery. The stay normally depends on the complications in your surgery. You will experience pain and uneasiness after the surgery, but painkillers are administered to lower these problems. Talk to your doctor if you witness any sign of infection like fever, redness, inflammation, swelling, shaking chills, and pus from the wound even after you head home. It will take a long time to heal and fuse the vertebrae. You will have to wear a brace for some time to keep a good posture. You will have to start afresh and learn how to sit, walk, stand, and perform daily chores.
