Atlas Rehabilitation and Pain Medicine, located
in Millburn, New Jersey and on Park Avenue South in
Manhattan @ 31st Street in New York is a pain treatment and pain
management centre with state of the art technology and board
certified spine doctors which can provide surgery, treatment, and
pain management for your spinal fusion.
A spinal fusion involves surgical treatment of abnormalities in the
spine bones (vertebrae), such as abnormal curvatures (scoliosis or
kyphosis) or injuries (fractures). The spinal fusion surgery
stabilizes the back by fusing certain vertebrae together with bone
grafts or metal rods. The most common spinal area involved in a
spinal fusion is the lower (lumbar) spine, but upper (cervical)
spine fusion can also be performed.
Spinal fusion may be
recommended for the following:
Abnormal curvature of the spine
Scoliosis
Kyphosis
Injury to the spinal vertebrae
Protrusion of the cushioning disc between vertebrae (slipped disk,
herniated nucleus pulposus)
Weak or unstable spine caused by infections or tumors
Degenerative disc disease, spondylolysis and other degenerative
spinal conditions can cause this abnormal and painful motion. In
addition, a spinal fusion may be indicated for any condition that
causes excessive instability of the spine, such as fractures,
infections, tumors, and congenital spinal deformities.
The spinal fusion operation is performed to limit the mobility of
adjacent vertebrae in the spine. The most common reason for
performing a spinal fusion is low back pain caused by painful motion
of the vertebrae. The goal of a spinal fusion is to eliminate the
motion of the offending vertebrae -this reduces any pain caused by
motion.
What happens during the
spinal fusion surgery? While the patient is under general
anesthesia a small incision is made over the area of the spine that
will be treated.
The lower spinal vertebrae are often repaired through an incision
directly over the spine -- this is called the posterior lumbar
approach. The upper spinal vertebrae are often repaired through an
incision in the front or side of the neck (anterior cervical spine).
The middle spinal vertebrae are sometimes repaired through an
incision made in the chest and abdomen (anterior thoracic spine).
Depending on the reason for surgery, the procedure may be performed
through incisions made on the front, the back, or a combination of
both.
The vertebrae are fused using bone grafts, with or without pedicle
screws, plates, or cages.
There are two main types of spinal fusion: posterolateral fusion and
interbody fusion. In a posterolateral fusion a graft is inserted to
create a bony bridge between two vertebrae. In a posterolateral
fusion procedure, which is much more common, involves placing screws
to bolt two or more vertebrae together into a rigid position.
If you need you are seeking a pain management specialists, the
spine surgeons of Atlas Rehabilitation and Pain Medicine of Manhattan, New York and Millburn, New Jersey
would be happy to see you for a consultation and help you learn
about the treatment options available to you for your spinal fusion
surgery as well as various other options to spinal fusion.
