Vertebral fusion

Spinal fusion is a surgical procedure used to correct problems with the small bones in the spine (vertebrae). It is essentially a “welding” process. The basic idea is to fuse together two or more vertebrae so that they heal into a single, solid bone. This is done to eliminate painful motion or to restore stability to the spine.

Spine surgery is usually recommended only when your doctor can pinpoint the source of your pain. To do this, your doctor may use imaging tests, such as x-rays, computerized tomography (CT) scans, and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans.

Spinal fusion may help relieve symptoms of many back problems, including:

• Degenerative disk disease
• Spondylolisthesis
• Spinal stenosis
• Scoliosis
• Fractured vertebra
• InfectionHerniated disk
• Tumor