When is spinal fusion recommended?
There are many reasons New Jersey spine surgeon Dr. Rovner may recommend lumbar spinal fusion. When performed correctly and by an experienced doctor, the procedure has the ability to resolve a wide range of conditions, including:
Degenerative disc disease
Degenerative disc disease refers to normal, age-related changes to the spinal discs. As the condition progresses, it can cause severe, disabling pain, numbness and tingling in the lower back. When conservative treatments fail to improve the symptoms, spinal fusion surgery can offer a more permanent solution.
Spinal stenosis
Spinal stenosis is the age-related narrowing of the spinal canal. This narrowing can put pressure on the spinal cord and adjacent nerves, causing lower back pain, muscle weakness, and in advanced cases, impaired bladder or bowel control. It’s a fairly common condition that happens as people age. If your symptoms worsen and limit your ability to move and work, lumbar spinal fusion may be necessary.
Fracture
If you have a vertebral fracture, surgery may be necessary to fuse and repair the injury, eliminate pain and restore your full range of motion. If the fracture is also associated with spinal cord or nerve injury, your likelihood of requiring surgery will increase.
Anterior Cervical Discectomy & Fusion
Anterior Cervical Discectomy & Fusion is a spine surgery procedure that is used to treat a herniated disc in the neck when all non-surgical methods of treatment fail. During anterior cervical discectomy and fusion, all or part of the herniated disc in your neck is removed. It is removed from the front of your neck to decrease risk to the spinal cord and nerves. After removal of the disc, the space is stabilized by inserting a bone graft in between the vertebrae where the disc used to be.