Spinal Fusion Alternatives
The decision to have a spine fusion surgery to treat low back pain from degenerative disc disease is a personal one, and it is entirely the patient's decision.
Spinal fusion surgery comes in many forms: lumbar spinal fusion, cervical spinal fusion, and PLIFs just to name a few. They are all designed to help limit pain caused by the joints, though each surgery is different depending on whether you are trying to treat degenerative disc disease, spondylolisthesis, or another condition. Knowing your spinal fusion options can go a long way toward alleviating your back pain.
The decision to have a spine fusion surgery to treat low back pain from degenerative disc disease is a personal one, and it is entirely the patient's decision.
Spinal fusion for spondylolisthesis is usually is not considered until a patient has tried at least six months of non-surgical treatment.
From 1 to 4 weeks after lumbar spinal fusion surgery, patients must continue with keeping the incision site clean, walking more often, and eventually transitioning to weaker pain medications.
The first few days after returning home from lumbar spinal fusion are an important phase of the recovery.
The role of spine fusion instrumentation like pedicle screws, anterior interbody cages and posterior lumbar cages is to provide additional spinal stability and help the fusion set up.
The most common risk of any of the modern spine fusion surgery techniques is the failure to relieve lower back pain symptoms following the surgery.