Spinal fusion surgery ?

Answer 1

I had spinal fusion L1-L3 6 yrs ago after a car accident. I am unable to bend as much as i used to and experience aggrevated pain after sitting for long periods, bending, and walking for long periods.
However i have not had sufficient physio or rehabilitation so mine may be worse comparitively.
I do however have good posture, which is a result of me conciously keeping back straight.

Answer 2

When you are in a position to have to be contemplating this, then you are already in the "last chance saloon" and pretty much anything is worth trying.
Spinal fusion is exactly what it says. To put it plainly, they open up your back over the spinal area which is giving the grief, usually the lower portion. Then they take out the disc from between two of the vertebrae, then they rasp the meeting ends of the two vertebrae to remove the outer bone, then screw &/or wire them together so that they will fuse into one.
Once done there is no known way of unfusing them, so it is a once & for all operation.
Ask your surgeon about the Graf Spinal Stabilisation system. This does no fuse the vertebrae but puts 2 scews into each of two adjacent vertebrae, then uses a polymer band under tension to pull the spine back into its correct position. About the worst that can be said of a Graf system if it doesn't work is that the screws and bands can be removed and something else tried.

Answer 3

My brother had this done and it was a nightmare, all the rods broke and he has had numerous infections and constant health issues due to the rods and surgery. Now they want to go back in and remove the rods. This was his second Spinal Fusion surgery and he refuses to allow them to do any more. The healing time is extensive and painful also. He's paraplegic btw.

Answer 4

That's just what I was about to say Billybean......

Answer 5

yes?