Spinal fusion is a surgical procedure that permanently connects two or more vertebrae in your spine. The surgeon places bone graft materials, rods, and other objects between the vertebrae to facilitate natural bone regeneration, making your body fuse the two vertebrae together. This procedure eliminates motion between the vertebrae and is a suitable option for patients with severe disc herniation, spinal instability, or spinal deformities. Brand Surgical Institute uses minimally invasive techniques to perform spinal fusion while ensuring optimal recovery.
What is Spinal fusion surgery?
How does spinal fusion surgery alleviate back pain?
Spinal fusion is a surgical procedure that permanently joins two or more vertebrae together, eliminating motion and mobility between them. This procedure is suitable for patients suffering from chronic back pain caused by vertebral fractures, spinal instability, disc herniation, degenerative disc disease, or spinal deformities, such as scoliosis. Depending on your unique condition, the surgeon may remove the damaged spinal discs and fuse the adjacent vertebrae, which improves mobility and alleviates back pain.
You are the ideal candidate for spinal fusion if:
- You have severe and persistent chronic back pain that lasts more than 3 months.
- You are diagnosed with spinal deformities, such as scoliosis.
- You have spinal instability, leading to excessive movement between the vertebrae.
- You have a damaged or herniated disc that leads to nerve compression.
- Conservative treatments and solutions, such as physical therapy, epidural injections, nerve blocks, and medications haven’t worked or provided insufficient pain relief.
- You want to address the root cause of back pain and improve mobility.
- You don’t have underlying medical conditions that preclude surgery.
What happens during spinal fusion surgery?
Brand Surgical Institute uses cutting-edge techniques to perform spinal fusion in Glendale. The specific details of your surgery will depend on numerous factors, including the root cause of back pain, whether your damaged spinal discs have to be removed, and the location of the treatment — cervical (neck) spine, lumbar (lower back) spine, or thoracic (upper back) spine. The surgeon will administer numerous imaging tests, such as MRI scans, CT scans, and X-rays, to diagnose the root cause of pain and curate a treatment plan.
We perform spine surgeries under general anesthesia at our accredited surgical facility. Furthermore, our surgeons generally use minimally invasive techniques with extremely small incisions, which leads to better results, fewer side effects, and a limited recovery period. The following are some of the most common spinal fusion surgery techniques.
Anterior Cervical Discectomy & Fusion
Anterior cervical discectomy and fusion is a minimally invasive spine surgery for patients with disc herniation in the cervical (neck) region. The surgeon makes a small incision in the front of the neck, following which they move the arteries, windpipe, and muscles aside to access the damaged cervical disc. The surgeon removes the spinal disc and inserts a bone graft material and titanium plate, fusing the adjacent vertebrae. This procedure alleviates chronic pain in the neck and arms.
Lumbar Spinal Fusion
Lumbar spinal fusion is meant for patients with disc herniation or fractures in the lumbar region. The surgeon makes a small incision in the lower back and moves the muscles out of the way to access the vertebrae. The next steps of the procedure will depend on your unique condition and needs. The surgeon may remove a small part of the vertebrae and the damaged spinal disc, following which the adjacent vertebrae will be fused with bone grafts, titanium screws, and rods.
Anterior Lumbar Interbody Fusion
Anterior lumbar interbody fusion is meant for patients with disc herniation in the lumbar region. The surgeon makes a small incision in the front of the belly and moves the abdominal muscles out of the way to access the underlying spinal discs. The surgeon will remove the damaged spinal disc pressing on your spines and fill the empty space with bone graft materials, rods, and titanium screws. The cage/ screws will decompress the spine, and the bone graft will stimulate natural vertebral fusion.
What is recovery like after spinal fusion surgery?
Brand Surgical Institute provides minimally invasive spine surgeries, so the recovery period is minimal. You may resume daily activities and work after a week, but you must avoid strenuous workouts, bending and twisting, or lifting heavy objects for at least 12 weeks. The surgeon will provide a detailed overview of your aftercare guidelines.
Schedule a consultation for spinal fusion surgery in Glendale, CA
Brand Surgical Institute is a state-of-the-art ambulatory surgery center specializing in minimally invasive spine surgeries in Glendale. Our surgeons specialize in cutting-edge surgical techniques that can restore spinal stability, fuse two or more vertebrae, and eliminate nerve compression via extremely small incisions. Our minimally invasive techniques allow you to resume most of your daily activities soon after the procedure. Please schedule an appointment to explore your spinal fusion surgery options in Glendale.
