Spinal Fusion

About This Treatment

Spinal fusion is a surgical procedure to permanently join two or more bones, or vertebrae, of your spine. Our surgeons may recommend spinal fusion for a variety of conditions, including:

• Degenerative disc disease
• Scoliosis
• Spinal fracture
• Spinal infection
• Spinal stenosis
• Spinal tumor
• Spondylolisthesis

What to expect during spinal fusion surgery

During a spinal fusion, your surgeon will permanently fuse the bones with grafting material. The bone graft may be placed over the back of your spine or between the vertebrae. Bone graft material may come from:

• Another bone in your body, usually your pelvic bone
• Donor tissue, or allograft, from a bone bank
• Synthetic bone material

To keep the vertebrae from moving until the graft heals, your surgeon may use supports like rods, screws or plates to hold the vertebrae together. You can also expect to wear some type of brace after surgery for a short period of time.

In addition to spinal fusion, some people may need spinal decompression, or a lumbar laminectomy. Decompression relieves pressure on spinal nerve roots.

At Franciscan Health, many of our spine surgeons offer minimally invasive spinal fusion. This procedure uses a smaller incision than open surgery, typically resulting in less pain and shorter recovery time.

Recovery from spinal fusion, lumbar laminectomy or spinal decompression may take four to six months.

Franciscan Health offers rehabilitation and physical therapy after spinal fusion surgery.