Spinal fusion for spondylolisthesis is usually is not considered until a patient has tried at least six months of non-surgical treatment.
Spinal Fusion
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.
By 4 weeks after lumbar spinal fusion surgery, most patients are experiencing significantly less pain. Between 6 weeks and 3 months after the surgery, an outpatient physical therapy program is typically started.
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.
About 3 months after lumbar spinal fusion surgery, the surgeon typically clears the patient to perform more types of exercises and activities. By about 6 months, most patients receive approval to return to a fully active lifestyle, including bending, lifting, and twisting.
The first few days after returning home from lumbar spinal fusion are an important phase of the recovery.
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Spinal Fusion: A Quick History
The spine fusion surgery works best for treating one level of the spine, although two levels can be fused if the patient has severe low back pain.
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Spine Fusion Indications
When considering spinal fusion surgery in the treatment of lower back pain, there are several indications to consider before making a decision.
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Spine Fusion Instrumentation
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.
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Spine Fusion Post-Operative Care
After a spine fusion surgery, it takes approximately three months for the fusion to successfully set up and achieve its initial maturity.
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.
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