Spinal fusion is a surgical procedure used to alleviate back or neck pain caused by damage to the small bones, or vertebrae, of the spine, according to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. The surgeon places a bone graft between the affected vertebrae that, over a period of months, heals and welds the bones together. The graft may be donated through a bone bank or harvested from the patient's hip or pelvis. Synthetic bone is also being tested as a bone graft source. Potential problems include the risks of any surgery, which are infection, bleeding, pneumonia or reactions to anesthesia, as well as those specific to spinal fusion.
Pain
Postoperative pain is more of a problem for patients undergoing spinal fusion than for those who have had other types of back surgery, according to the North American Spine Society. Pain control methods offered include ice packs, acetaminophen and narcotic medications. If the bone graft was taken from the patient's hip or pelvis, that site will also be painful. After the postoperative period, some patients find that their preoperative pain has returned, according to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.
Pseudarthrosis
Spinal fusion depends on the ability of the body to generate new bone to bond the affected vertebrae together. Placing a bone graft between the vertebrae stimulates the healing process that, over a period of 3 to 4 months or longer, fuses the two vertebrae into a solid bone, according to the North American Spine Society. In some cases, however, the bone growth is not sufficient to fuse the vertebrae and a second operation is necessary. This condition, called pseudarthrosis, is most common in smokers, according to AAOS.
Blood Vessel or Nerve Damage
Many patients experience temporary numbness, weakness and tingling in the arms or legs, depending on the location of the surgery. Some bleeding during the operation is also expected. Significant damage to the nerves and blood vessels near the operative site, however, is very rare, according to AAOS.
Lengthy Recovery
Because the bones fuse together through the healing process, not during the operation, the recovery period for a spinal fusion patient is lengthy. The speed of recovery varies among individuals, but in general, the hospital stay is three or four days, followed by a stay in a rehabilitation facility if needed, according to the North American Spine Society. Patients, who have undergone cervical spinal fusions involving vertebrae in the neck, may sit, walk and climb stairs after surgery, but sports and other forms of exercise are off-limits until the surgeon allows them, according to the University of Wisconsin Hospital. Cervical fusion patients may need to wear a hard neck collar for the first six weeks, or a soft collar for two weeks following surgery. After a lumbar fusion, which involves the lower back, patients are not permitted to sit for long periods, exert themselves, or return to work for up to 12 weeks, according to the University of Wisconsin Hospital. Lumbar fusion patients may also need to wear a brace.
