Spinal Fusion Specialist

What is a spinal fusion?

A spinal fusion is a surgical procedure joining two or more vertebral bones to create a single bone. 

Your spine is a series of vertebral bones, one stacked on top of another. These vertebrae support mobility of your upper and body and protect your spinal cord.  

Conditions that affect the structure of your spine may cause pain during movement. A spinal fusion prevents these pain-inducing movements. 

Who benefits from a spinal fusion?

The board-certified spine surgeons at Spine Solutions determine who benefits from a spinal fusion after a surgical consultation. They perform spinal fusions to treat many spine conditions, including:

• Scoliosis correction
• Disc herniation
• Degenerative disc disease
• Spinal stenosis
• A tumor that affects the spine
• Foraminal stenosis
• Radiculopathy
• Sciatica
• Spondylolisthesis
• Fractured vertebrae

When you visit Spine Solutions with back pain or neck pain complaints, your spine surgeon conducts a comprehensive history and physical. They also perform an MRI or CT scan to assess the severity of your spinal problem.

Dr. Myers and Dr. Levene may only recommend surgical intervention when medical treatments fail or no longer ease your back pain. 

How is a spinal fusion performed?

Dr. Myers and Dr. Levene specialize in minimally invasive spine surgery. They use many techniques when performing a spinal fusion, including:

Anterior lumbar interbody fusion (ALIF)

During ALIF, your surgeon approaches your spine from the front of your body. They remove all or part of a herniated disc from between the vertebrae and use a bone graft or a bone graft substitute to fuse the bones. 

Transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (TLIF)

For a TLIF, your spine surgeon approaches your spine from the back. They place a bone graft or an implant in between the vertebral bones, fusing the bones. 

Cervical corpectomy

A cervical corpectomy is a surgical procedure where your surgeon removes the front portion of one or more vertebral bones in your cervical spine (neck). After removal, they perform a spinal fusion to join the remaining parts of the vertebrae. 

Anterior cervical discectomy with fusion (ACDF)

For an ACDF, your spine surgeon removes all or part of an intervertebral disc in your cervical spine, as well as any bony fragments. Then, they place a bone graft between two or more of the affected vertebrae to fuse the bones.

To schedule a spine surgery consultation with the experts at Spine Solutions, call the office most convenient to you or book an appointment online today.