Spinal fusion
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Spinal fusion
Spinal fusion is surgery in which one or more of the vertebrae of the spine are united together (“fused”) so that movement between them can no longer occur. Bone grafts are placed around the spine during surgery. The body then heals the grafts over several months.
Reasons for spinal fusion include:
Vertebral fracture.
Certain types of spinal deformity, such as scoliosis,
Actual or potential instability.
Cervical disc herniations
Spine pain
Bone Grafting
Small pieces of bone are placed into the space between the vertebrae to be fused.
The bone is either supplied by the patient (autogenous bone) or harvested from other individuals (allograft bone).
Immobilization
After bone grafting, the vertebrae are held together to allow fusion to progress. The bones are held immobile with metal rods and screws.
vertebrae
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