Lumbar Fusion

Lumbar Spine Fusion for Degenerative Disc Disease

spine-health — Wed, 12 Dec 2007 00:21:06 -0800

A lumbar spine fusion is a type of back surgery designed to treat low back pain from degenerative disc disease. It is called a “spine fusion” because the surgery involves placing small morsels of bone either in the front of the spine (in the disc space) and/or along the back of the spine (in the posterolateral gutter) so that the bone grows together and fuses that section of the spine.

Lumbar Spinal Fusion Surgery

spine-health — Wed, 12 Dec 2007 00:03:18 -0800

A spinal fusion surgery is designed to stop the motion at a painful vertebral segment, which in turn should decrease pain generated from the joint. There are many approaches to lumbar spinal fusion surgery, and all involve adding bone graft to an area of the spine to set up a biological response that causes the bone graft to grow between the two vertebral elements and create a fusion, thereby stopping the motion at that segment.

Comprehensive Spine Surgery Findings Highlight Postoperative Infection Rates

cmaynard — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 08:07:11 -0800

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Discography for Patients without Back Pain Can Quicken Disc Degeneration

cmaynard — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 07:54:24 -0800

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Recovery After XLIF

Thu, 30 Apr 2009 09:37:02 -0700

As with any type of spinal fusion surgery, the recovery experience for an XLIF procedure varies from patient to patient.

With an XLIF procedure, the following recovery factors are typical:

XLIF Potential Risks and Complications

Thu, 30 Apr 2009 09:33:17 -0700

The eXtreme Lateral Interbody Fusion (XLIF) procedure, like any other surgical procedure, has certain potential risks and complications associated with it.

Possible risks and complications associated with the XLIF include but are not limited to:

Description of XLIF Surgery

Thu, 30 Apr 2009 09:29:27 -0700

View XLIF Video

There are a series of steps performed to complete an XLIF spinal fusion:

When XLIF is Not an Option

Thu, 30 Apr 2009 09:23:14 -0700

There are a few specific instances where the XLIF procedure could not be performed.

Instances in which a patient could not have an XLIF procedure would include:

When an XLIF Might be Performed

Thu, 30 Apr 2009 09:09:38 -0700

The XLIF procedure can be used for a variety of lumbar spinal disorders that may be treated with spinal fusion. These conditions may include:

Interbody Fusion - ALIF, PLIF and XLIF

Thu, 30 Apr 2009 09:04:20 -0700

Traditionally, there are a few ways to fuse the spine. One of these ways is known as interbody fusion. Interbody fusion is fusion of two vertebrae between the vertebral bodies (main trunk of the vertebra) in the anterior column (front part of the spine).

Minimally Invasive Spine Fusion

Thu, 30 Apr 2009 08:56:50 -0700

The XLIF procedure is what is termed a "minimally invasive" procedure. This means that instead of a traditional, larger single incision, the procedure is performed through one or more small incisions and an instrument known as a retractor is used to spread the tissues so that the surgeon can see the spine. This is made possible by the use of a dilator and retractor system, MaXcess®, developed by NuVasive®, Inc, in San Diego, CA. The system allows the surgeon to reach the spine via lateral access (from the side of the body).

XLIF: Lumbar Spinal Fusion

Thu, 30 Apr 2009 08:41:45 -0700

Postoperative Care after X-STOP Surgery

mlepore — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 08:08:05 -0700

X-STOP Potential Risks and Complications

mlepore — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 08:04:29 -0700

Suffering from Spinal Stenosis?

Visit the Spinal Stenosis Clinical Trials section for the latest developments.

All spinal surgery carries some risk including, but not limited to the risks of infection, bruising and blood clots, adverse reaction to anesthesia, pain or discomfort at the operative site, pneumonia, stroke, myocardial infarction, bleeding, pain and, rarely, paralysis or death.

Explanation of the X-STOP Surgery

mlepore — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 07:59:19 -0700

Who is a Candidate for X-STOP Surgery?

mlepore — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 07:41:44 -0700

BMP: Bone Morphogenetic Proteins

mlepore — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 08:17:55 -0700

BMP proteins that stimulate bone growth naturally in the human body. These proteins that exist in the body can be produced, concentrated and placed in the area of the spine for a spine fusion to take place. More importantly, they can create a fusion without the need for any use of the patient’s own bone.

Bone Graft Substitutes

mlepore — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 08:15:18 -0700

There are a variety of bone graft substitutes available for use in spine fusion surgery and they are being evaluated in various stages of clinical trials. In general, these types of bone graft are a synthetic or a manipulated type of a naturally occurring product.

Allograft: Cadaver Bone from a Tissue Bank

mlepore — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 08:11:22 -0700

Allograft is bone harvested by a tissue bank from a cadaver for use in medical procedures. It can be prepared in a number of different forms (such as chips) for use in a spine fusion.

Autograft: The Patient's Own Bone

mlepore — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 08:09:50 -0700

Autograft (sometimes referred to as autologous bone or autogenous bone graft) is taken from the patient and transferred to the portion of the spine to be fused.

Spinal Fusion for Synovial Cyst and Spinal Stenosis

Ben Parr — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 08:23:50 -0800

A physician answers patient questions about spinal fusion for pain due to a synovial cyst.

Question: Is Fusion Right for a Synovial Cyst?

Had 2 back surgeries to remove a synovial cyst @ L4 and L5 on right side (in 2000 and 2002). The surgeries were to remove the cyst only. Now, I still have pain in my back, hip, butt and leg. Right leg cramps up and feels dead and numb. I also started having pain on my left side and is starting to go down my left leg.

TLIF Back Surgery Success Rates and Risks

spine-health — Wed, 12 Dec 2007 00:21:10 -0800

TLIF spinal fusion operation is a salvage procedure. For patients with disabling back pain and leg pain significant benefits can be obtained with a successful spinal fusion.

TLIF Back Surgery Indications and Technique

spine-health — Wed, 12 Dec 2007 00:21:10 -0800

TLIF back surgery indications

Lumbar spine fusion may be recommended for disabling low back and leg symptoms that have not improved with non-surgical forms of treatment.

Conditions such as spondylolisthesis, degenerative disc disease or recurrent disc herniations are known to produce mechanical pain and may be indications for a spinal fusion. TLIF is designed to eliminate the disc as the source of mechanical back pain.

Is Lumbar Fusion Surgery a Reliable Procedure?

spine-health — Wed, 12 Dec 2007 00:21:08 -0800

Peter Ullrich, MD

Rehabilitation Following Lumbar Fusion

spine-health — Wed, 12 Dec 2007 00:21:08 -0800

Staying active speeds recovery from fusion

Patients who have had or are contemplating lumbar fusion surgery are understandably concerned about making sure the fusion heals as intended. For this reason, many patients are afraid to be active and some do not want to move at all, fearing that they will risk having the fusion not set up properly. In actuality, and contrary to this fear, movement is very important to foster healing.

Modern Spine Fusion Techniques

spine-health — Wed, 12 Dec 2007 00:21:07 -0800

The two primary types of medical devices used in a spinal fusion surgery include pedicle screws and anterior interbody cages or spacers. When it has been determined that a spine fusion is appropriate, the surgical technique utilized may vary.

Indications for Spinal Fusion

spine-health — Wed, 12 Dec 2007 00:21:06 -0800

The biggest risk for spine fusion procedure is continued pain, meaning that the surgery did not substantially reduce or eliminate the patient’s pain. The number one reason this occurs is that the fused disc was improperly identified as the cause of the patient’s pain, so fusing the disc was unnecessary and irrelevant. This is why getting an accurate diagnosis is critical.

Bone Graft Substitutes for Lumbar Spine Fusion Surgery

spine-health — Wed, 12 Dec 2007 00:21:05 -0800

Bone graft for spine fusion

There is a lot of interest in the spine community to develop a bone graft substitute to use during lumbar spinal fusion surgery procedures. Bone graft substitutes would eliminate the need to harvest the patient’s own bone, thus potentially reducing the risk and pain associated with the procedure and hopefully leading to a more reliable result (e.g.

Artificial Disc Replacement or Spinal Fusion: Which is Better for You?

spine-health — Wed, 12 Dec 2007 00:21:05 -0800

Back surgery options

As a patient suffering from unremitting low back pain, if at least six months of aggressive conservative treatment has failed to help, and especially if the pain and other symptoms are making it difficult to complete everyday activities, then back surgery may be an option to bring about pain relief and restore one’s ability to function.

Posterolateral Gutter Spine Fusion Surgery

spine-health — Wed, 12 Dec 2007 00:03:19 -0800

There are multiple different methods for obtaining a spinal fusion, but the gold standard is a posterolateral gutter fusion surgery. This type of spinal fusion, which involves placing bone graft in the posterolateral portion of the spine (a region just outside the spine), has a long history and is considered by many surgeons to be the "tried and true" method of spinal fusion (see Figure 1).

Posterior Lumbar Interbody Fusion (PLIF) Surgery

spine-health — Wed, 12 Dec 2007 00:03:19 -0800

More Spinal Fusion Info:

Lumbar Spinal Fusion

Elements of Spinal Fusion

Spinal Fusion Recovery

Spinal Fusion History

Spine Fusion Instrumentation

spine-health — Wed, 12 Dec 2007 00:03:19 -0800

The role of spine fusion instrumentation is to provide additional spinal stability while helping the fusion set up.

Various forms of instrumentation (medical devices) have been developed with the goal of improving the rates of successful spinal fusion. Because bone tends to fuse more effectively in an environment where there is little motion, instrumentation helps the fusion set up by limiting the motion at the fused segment.

Lumbar Spine Surgery

spine-health — Wed, 12 Dec 2007 00:03:18 -0800

Two general types of lumbar spine surgery comprise the most common surgical procedures for the lower back: decompression and spinal fusion.

Decompression surgery involves removing a small portion of the bone over the nerve root and/or disc material from under the nerve root to relieve pinching of the nerve and provide more room for the nerve to heal (a microdiscectomy or laminectomy).
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Anterior Approach to Spine Surgery

spine-health — Wed, 12 Dec 2007 00:03:15 -0800

The anterior approach to the spine has been around since the 1950s. Originally, the surgery involved a large abdominal incision in which the surgeon would cut through the abdominal muscles and the peritoneal cavity to gain access to the spine. The peritoneal cavity contains the patient’s intestines. This would require long recovery times due to the large dissection of the abdomen and muscles to get access to the spine.

Lumbar Degenerative Disc Disease

spine-health — Tue, 11 Dec 2007 21:16:20 -0800

Degenerative disc disease refers to a syndrome in which a compromised disc causes low back pain. Lumbar degenerative disc disease usually starts with a torsional (twisting) injury to the lower back, such as when a person rotates to put something on a shelf or swing a golf club. However, the pain is also frequently caused by simple wear and tear on the spine.