Consider all the risks and benefits as you make your decision. If you are a candidate for spinal fusion, the surgeon will explain your options. In adults this occurs from aging discs, arthritis, or previous spine surgery. Scoliosis: an abnormal curve of the spine caused by misalignment of the bones.Enlarged facet joints and ligaments pinch the nerves causing pain and numbness in the legs. Spinal stenosis: the narrowing of the spinal canal and nerve root canals.It can kink and compress the nerves, causing pain. Spondylolisthesis: a forward slip of a vertebra bone out of its normal position.As the disc thins or herniates, the vertebrae bones rub and pinch the nerves. Degenerative disc disease: the drying and shrinkage of discs with age.obesity (a weight loss plan is advised).severe atherosclerosis of the aorta or iliac vessels peripheral vascular disease.problems that would prevent bone fusion.You are not a candidate for ALIF if you have: symptoms that have not improved with physical therapy or medication.You may be a candidate for ALIF if you have: Patients typically go home a day or two after surgery recovery takes 6 to 12 weeks. The ALIF is performed in a hospital setting. Anterior fusion allows the surgeon to avoid working around the spinal nerves.Moving a forward-slipped L5 vertebra back into normal position and restoring proper tilt (lordosis) is easier from the front.The path to the spine is from the front so there is less pain and disruption to the back muscles.A larger spacer device can be used, providing more support and a better chance of fusion.Fusion will take away some flexibility in your spine, but most patients do not notice.Īnterior spine fusion has several advantages: A one-level fusion joins two bones while a two-level fusion joins three bones. Like reinforced concrete, instrumentation and fusion work together.ĭepending on the symptoms, a one-level or multi-level fusion may be performed. After 3 to 6 months, the graft should fuse the two vertebrae into one solid piece of bone. In some cases, the graft is strengthened with a metal plate and screws.Īs the body heals, new bone grows around the graft. The graft becomes a bridge between the two bones to promote fusion. The spacer restores the height between the bones, corrects the spinal curvature, and relieves pinched nerves. The spine surgeon removes the damaged disc and fills the space between the bones with a spacer bone graft. The vascular surgeon clears a path to the spine, moving aside the vessels to the legs. A vascular surgeon and spine surgeon work as a team. The damaged disc is removed and replaced with a bone graft.ĭuring anterior fusion, an incision is made in the front of the belly. Through an incision made in your belly, anterior lumbar fusion (ALIF) reaches the spine from the front. Screws and rods are inserted into the vertebraeįrom a posterior approach and the vertebrae is restored to the natural Removed to decompress the nerves and spinal sac. The muscles areĭisconnected from the bone, and the posterior portion of the vertebrae is Paramedian (parallel) skin incisions are performed. Table faced down and draped in a sterile fashion. The surgery is performed general anaesthesia. Recurrent disc herniation after multiple discectomyįoraminal disc herniations that require a significant facet joint Scoliosis (significant curvature of spine) ![]() ![]() Understand the reason for surgery and what procedure is recommended.Ĭommon conditions that are treated with PLF includes, but not limited to You must have that difficult conversation with your surgeon to Performedįor the incorrect or inappropriate reason can lead to poor patient Safest approach for the individual patient.Īny fusion surgery should be considered carefully and cautiously. The choice of approach is determined by the: Of techniques to complete the surgical management of your condition. On occasions, your surgeon may use a combination There are a number of approaches to the lumbar spine: anterior,Īnterior-oblique, lateral, transforaminal and posterior (ie essentiallyįrom front, side or back). Vertebrae in the spine using a combination of screws, rods, and fusionĭevices with bone graft between the vertebrae. The operation is used to join (fuse) together two or more In certain cases, a spinal fusion may be the recommended surgical Home / Treatments / Spinal Procedures / Posterior Lumbar Fusion (PLF) and Decompression Posterior Lumbar Fusion (PLF) and Decompression Posterior Lumbar Fusion (PLF) and Decompression
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