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Answers to All Your FAQs about Spinal Fusion Surgery

Answers to All Your FAQs about Spinal Fusion Surgery

Q. What exactly is spinal fusion surgery?

A. Spinal fusion is a procedure that permanently joins two or more of the bones (called vertebrae) in your neck or back so that they become one single, solid bone.

Q. Why might I need spinal fusion?

A. Spinal fusion is done to make your spine more stable or to eliminate movement that causes pain. It’s used to treat a number of back problems, including: 

Q. What are the alternatives to surgery?

A. There are many alternatives to surgery and you should definitely try them first, because surgery always carries some risk and requires a long recovery period. Alternatives include high-quality physical therapy, facet blocks, epidural steroid injections, pain medication, acupuncture, and chiropractic care.

Q. How do I know if surgery is the right choice?

A. If you have exhausted all your other treatment options and still have pain, numbness, or weakness that’s keeping you from enjoying life, surgery may be the right choice. You will do best if you’re relatively healthy going in, are highly motivated, and are committed to following all your doctor’s and physical therapist’s instructions carefully.

Q. How should I prepare for surgery?

A. We’ll give you detailed information on the surgery and how you need to prepare, but here are a few general things do know.

  • You’ll need to arrange for someone to take you home after surgery.
  • Let us know about all the medications you’re taking, including over-the-counter medicines and supplements. You may need to stop taking aspirin or other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) several days before surgery.
  • As much as you can, prepare your home for your return. Make sure you have removed tripping hazards and have on hand items that may help you, like slip-on shoes or a shower chair. 

Q. What happens during spinal fusion?

A. The exact procedure varies depending on your diagnosis and which vertebrae are involved. In some cases, an incision will be made in the front of the neck (for a cervical spine fusion) or the lower abdomen (for a lumbar fusion). In other cases, the surgeon will go in from the back of the neck or the lower back or from the side.

At NeuroMicroSpine, we use minimally invasive techniques for virtually all procedures. This allows us to use much smaller incisions and reduces cutting into muscles and other soft tissue. That means there is less blood loss during surgery and less pain, a lower risk of infection, and faster healing afterward.

If your back problem is caused by disk matter or bony pieces impinging on a nerve, the surgeon will remove that debris. Then a small amount of bone material, sometimes taken from your pelvis, will be put in the space between the two vertebrae. This will help them grow together.

We’ll insert screws, rods, or metal plates to hold the vertebrae in place until they’ve permanently joined.

Q. Will I lose flexibility after spinal fusion?

A. Most patients don’t notice any decrease in range of motion. That’s because in most cases, only a small section of spine is being fused. 

Q. What is the recovery like?

A. Depending on the type of fusion surgery you had, you may be able to go home the same day as the procedure, or you may need to stay in the hospital for several days. We’ll give you detailed instructions for how to care for your wound once you get home, what kind of pain medication to use, and when to return for checkups.

You’ll need to avoid lifting for a while and may need to wear a brace to keep your spine properly aligned until the bones are fused. Depending on the procedure you had and your individual circumstances, we may ask you to work with a physical therapist to ensure the best recovery.

It may take several months for the vertebrae to solidly fuse, although you will often have pain relief earlier.

Q. What are the risks of spinal fusion?

A. Spinal surgery, like any surgery, comes with some risks. They include risks of:

  • Bleeding
  • Blood clots
  • Infection
  • Poor wound healing
  • Damage to nerves or blood vessels near the spine

Q. Will spinal fusion prevent me from having back pain again?

A. Unfortunately, we can’t guarantee that. While it should help with your current problem, if you have an underlying condition like arthritis, it will still be there and may cause problems with additional vertebrae in the future. There is also the possibility that the procedure will result in increased strain on vertebrae near those that were fused.

For more information on spinal surgery, or to make an appointment with the doctors at NeuroMicroSpine, please call (850) 934-7545 or click here to request an appointment. We hope to see you soon!

The information contained in this article is for educational purposes only and is not intended to replace or counter a physician’s advice or judgment. Please always consult your physician before taking any advice learned here or in any other educational medical material.