What are the long term effects of spinal fusion?

Spinal fusion is a major surgery where one or more of the spinal bones are fused together using screws, bolts, and plates. The long-term side effects of spinal fusion involve non-union, hardware failure, Adjacent Segment Disease, and spinal muscle injury. All can require additional surgery.

Does spinal fusion stunt growth?

Fusing the curved area of the spine will cause that portion of the spine to stop growing. But this should not greatly affect a child’s adult height, because the rest of the spine will continue to grow normally.

Does spinal fusion reduce life expectancy?

Conclusion: Elderly patients who underwent spine surgery for spinal stenosis had reduced mortality compared to the corresponding portion of the general population. Therefore, surgery for spinal stenosis is a justifiable procedure even in elderly patients.

How long does it take for bone to grow after spinal fusion?

With spinal instrumentation and fusion working together, new bone will grow around the metal implants – similar to reinforced concrete. Figure 2. After 3 to 6 months new bone growth will fuse the two vertebrae into one solid piece of bone.

Can one bend ruin a spinal fusion?

Can one bend ruin a spinal fusion? After undergoing spinal fusion, doctors advised that patients should avoid excessive bending, twisting, and straining to protect the fusion while it heals. You can ruin your spinal fusion if you bend excessively.

Are rods used in spinal fusion?

During spinal fusion, your surgeon places bone or a bonelike material within the space between two spinal vertebrae. Metal plates, screws and rods may be used to hold the vertebrae together, so they can heal into one solid unit.

What are Harrington rods?

The Harrington rod was a stainless steel spinal instrument that was implanted in the patient along their spinal column to treat a curvature in their spine starting in the 1960s. Harrington rods were the most common tool used for scoliosis to treat instability and deformity of the spine.

Why do my hips hurt after lumbar fusion?

There are three possible causes of SIJ pain: (1) an increased mechanical load transfer onto the SIJ after fusion; (2) bone graft harvesting in the iliac crest close to the joint; and (3) the misdiagnosis of an SIJ syndrome before fusion (i.e., the lumbar spine is thought, erroneously, to be fused) [4].

How to care for yourself after lumbar spinal fusion?

How to care for yourself after lumbar spinal fusion – 3 –  Do not push yourself to do too much too soon. Increasing your pain may actually delay your recovery.  Change your positions often. Avoid lying down, standing or sitting for long periods during the day. If you do any activity that increases your pain, you should stop it immediately.

What is involved in spinal fusion?

Spinal fusion is a common surgery that is performed for correcting problems in the small bones in the spinal cord, known as vertebrae. Spinal fusion can be thought of like a welding process as it fuses together two or more of these small bones or vertebrae. Doctors aim to achieve a single and solid bone at the end of the spinal fusion surgery.

Is there an alternative to spinal fusion for scoliosis?

Requiring the spine to work outside its normal range of motion can eventually lead to the development of other problems, in particular, spondylolisthesis or degenerative scoliosis. There is an alternative to spinal fusion that can help you avoid these problems—find out about an innovative new procedure that’s healthier for your spine.

What happens when you stiffen your spine after a fusion?

By stiffening a segment where there once was a joint, you create abnormal mechanical loads for the spine segments above and below the fusion. Compare it to breaking an elbow: After wearing a cast for six weeks, you expect your elbow to be stiff when the cast comes off.

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