Lumbar fusion broadly refers to various spinal surgery techniques that aim to connect two or more vertebrae in the lumbar spine (lower back). The general goal of fusion surgery, or arthrodesis, is to enable two or more bones to grow together into one single bone. In the spinal fusion procedure, the surgeon works to join two adjacent vertebrae (the large bones of the spine) to form a cohesive unit. This is often indicated for conditions like spondylolisthesis, where there is a misalignment of the vertebrae. Stabilization may involve the use of metal screws and rods.
Spinal fusion surgery is designed to fuse two or more vertebrae to realign them or to eliminate movement between them, thereby correcting spinal deformities, alleviating pain from rubbing vertebrae, or restoring stability to slipped vertebrae. Lumbar Spinal Fusion involves the placement of screws, rods, and cages to steady the spine due to instability from injury or to fixate the spine due to pain, sometimes including the removal of bone.
Anterior lumbar interbody fusion (ALIF) is a procedure where surgeons access the spine through the abdomen to fuse vertebrae in the lower back. It often requires a collaborative effort between an “approach” surgeon and a spine surgeon.
Spine fusion, also known as back fusion, treats various conditions like fractured vertebrae, degenerative disc disease, scoliosis, spinal pain, and spondylosis. Instrumented spinal fusion uses rods, plates, and screws to help the bones in the spine fuse, especially when the spine has weakened.
Lumbar interbody fusion is an orthopedic spine surgery that removes a damaged spinal disc, aiming to relieve lower back and/or leg pain stemming from conditions such as degenerative disc disease, scoliosis, and spondylolisthesis. Minimally invasive thoracic and lumbar fusion, such as the Transforaminal Interbody Lumbar Fusion (TLIF), allows the surgeon to achieve fusion of both the anterior and posterior parts of the spine in one procedure.
For more detailed information, consider scheduling an evaluation with a spine specialist at University of Utah Health, or explore the treatment options at Hospital for Special Surgery. Learn more about the procedure from Harvard Health or through the resources provided by Columbia University Department of Neurosurgery.
