Spinal fusion is a surgical procedure used to correct problems with the small bones in vertebrae. The basic idea is to fuse together the painful vertebrae so that they heal into a single, solid bone. In a posterior approach to lumbar fusion, the surgeon makes an incision down the middle of the lower back. To see the vertebrae, the surgeon will pull back the muscles that surround the spine and remove any pressure from nearby nerves. Graft material is then placed along the sides of the vertebrae to stimulate bone growth. Titanium screws and rods are often used to provide immediate stability to the spine until a solid fusion has been achieved.
Related conditions
Spondylolisthesis (stress fracture causing vertebrae to slip out of position)
In spondylolisthesis, one of the vertebra in the spine slips forward and out of place. This may occur anywhere along the spine, but is most common in the lower back.
Spinal stenosis
A common cause of lower back and leg pain is lumbar spinal stenosis. As we age, our spines change. The normal effects of aging can lead to narrowing of the spinal canal. This condition is called lumbar stenosis, or lumbar spinal stenosis.
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Spine Surgery
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Evelyne S Akoth, MD PA
Neurosurgery & Spine Surgery
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Saeed Ayed Alqahtani, MD
Spine Surgery & Neurosurgery
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Amjad Nasr Anaizi, MD
Skull Base Surgery, Brain and Tumor Neurosurgery, Neurosurgical Oncology, Vascular Neurosurgery, Neurosurgery & Spine Surgery
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Paul L. Asdourian, MD
Spine Surgery, Orthopedic Surgery & Neurosurgery
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Daniel Roque Felbaum, MD
Neurosurgery & Spine Surgery
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Joseph Leigh Ferguson, MD
Spine Surgery & Orthopedic Surgery
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Christopher Gene Kalhorn, MD
Neurosurgery & Spine Surgery
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John Lynes, MD
Spine Surgery, Neurosurgery & Brain and Tumor Neurosurgery
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Jeffrey Ching-Kwei Mai, MD PHD
Spine Surgery & Neurosurgery
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Kevin Michael McGrail, MD
Neurosurgery & Spine Surgery
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Fred Mo, MD
Orthopedic Surgery & Spine Surgery
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Mani Nathan Nair, MD
Neurosurgery & Spine Surgery
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Zan A Naseer, MD
Orthopedic Surgery & Spine Surgery
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Vikram V Nayar, MD
Neurosurgery & Spine Surgery
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Samir Sur, MD
Neurosurgery, Skull Base Surgery, Spine Surgery & Neuro-interventional Radiology
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David A Weiner, MD MS
Spine Surgery & Orthopedic Surgery
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