Spinal Fusion
Spinal fusion is a procedure used to correct problems with the bones in the spine. These bones, although small, are essential to your health. A “welding” process is used to fuse vertebrae together to heal them back into a solid bone. Although this procedure is usually only recommended by your physician when they can determine the source, it can reduce a lot of pain in the spinal area.
Anatomy
Your spine is a very delicate part of your body, and spinal fusions can relieve pain that may be causing your back to ache. Your physician may recommend entering the spine from either the front (anterior approach) or back (posterior approach). There are several different techniques to fuse the spine, many that have been performed for decades.
Description
Spinal fusion eliminates motion between the vertebrae, preventing stretching of nerves. Since ligaments and muscles can also be stretched, they can create an arthritic type of pain. Since a tiny part of the spine is removed during spinal fusion, this can create a slight lack of motion. However, this is rare and usually only limits motion a small amount.
If there is accompanying leg pain, your physician may also perform a laminectomy or a decompression. Removal of diseased tissue and bone allows for the pain to become far less intense. Spinal fusions can also relieve the pressure being put on spinal nerves, improving your ability to perform daily activities with less pain.

Symptoms
Spinal fusion relieves symptoms of back conditions and pain. These can include:
- Spinal stenosis
- Fracture
- Tumor
- Infection
- Scoliosis
- Degenerative disk disease
- Spondylolisthesis
DIAGNOSIS
Your Florida Orthopaedic Institute physician will discuss your options with you about your pain to determine if spinal fusion is right for you. As with any surgical procedure, there are slight risks and complications involved, although these are very rare.
Your physician will evaluate your symptoms and may use imaging tests such as x-rays, CT scans, and MRI scans to get a more detailed look at the problem area. From there, they will determine if they can pinpoint a source. If they can, surgery may be recommended to correct the problem.
TREATMENT FOR SPINAL FUSION
Since spinal fusion is a surgical procedure, great care must be taken to treat the spine and ensure it heals properly. Your physician will discuss your options with you, but if they can pinpoint the source of pain, then surgery is an effective method for relief.
NONSURGICAL TREATMENT
Florida Orthopaedic Institute takes steps to ensure that they can provide patients with options before surgery is recommended. Your physician will discuss with you your symptoms and if any physical therapy or nonsurgical methods are available. If all nonsurgical option have been exhausted, spinal fusion may be recommended to alleviate pain and get you back on your feet.
Surgical Treatments
Spinal fusion uses a bone graft, a type of bone material, to promote the fusion. The bone graft allows for quicker healing of the vertebrae. All spinal fusions use some type of bone material to promote healing.
Another way to perform a spinal fusion is an allograft, which is a cadaver bone. These come from a bone bank and are less painful to use than to harvest a hip bone from the patient (an autograft). Other methods include:
- Ceramics: Synthetic calcium/phosphate materials like autograft bone
- Bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs): Synthetic bone-forming proteins for a stronger fusion
- Demineralized bone matrices (DBMs): Calcium removed from cadaver bone to help with bone healing
Due to technological advances, several artificial bone graft materials have also been developed and used during surgery. Your physician will discuss with you the best option for your procedure.
The Next Step
Florida Orthopaedic Institute physicians consistently keep up to date with the latest spinal procedures and research. Your physician will discuss all options with you to ensure that the treatment and recovery methods chosen are the best for your body’s needs. All Florida Orthopaedic Institute surgeons are fellowship trained, adding more expertise in their specialty. If you have pain in your back, call Florida Orthopaedic Institute to schedule an appointment for an evaluation.
Areas of Focus
- Spine
- Anterior Cervical Corpectomy & Discectomy
- Artificial Disk Replacement (ADR)
- Bone Cement Injection
- Degenerative Disk Disease
- Diffuse Idiopathic Skeletal Hyperostosis (DISH)
- Discectomy
- Discitis Treatment & Information
- Epidural Injections for Spinal Pain
- Foraminotomy
- Interlaminar Implants
- Interlaminar Lumbar Instrumental Fusion: ILIF
- Kyphoplasty (Balloon Vertebroplasty)
- Kyphosis
- Laminectomy: Decompression Surgery
- Lumbar Epidural Steroid Injection
- Lumbar Interbody Fusion (IBF)
- Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery
- Outpatient Spine Surgery
- Pinched Nerve
- Piriformis Syndrome
- Sacroiliac Joint Pain
- Sciatica
- Scoliosis
- Spinal Fusion
- Spondylolisthesis and Spondylolysis
- Vertebroplasty
- Whiplash and Whiplash Associated Disorder (WAD)
The following Florida Orthopaedic Institute physicians specialize in Spinal Fusion:
Surgical Spine Solutions
Complex back problems require specialized care. See how surgeries performed by Dr. Weinstein helped two patients improve their quality of life.
Specialties
- AC Joint Injuries
- Achilles Tendinitis - Achilles Insertional Calcific Tendinopathy (ACIT)
- Achilles Tendon Rupture
- Achilles Tendonitis
- ACL Injuries
- Ankle Fracture Surgery
- Ankle Fractures (Broken Ankle)
- Ankle Fusion Surgery
- Anterior Cervical Corpectomy & Discectomy
- Arthroscopic Articular Cartilage Repair
- Arthroscopic Chondroplasty
- Arthroscopic Debridement of the Elbow
- Arthroscopy Of the Ankle
- Articular Cartilage Restoration
- Artificial Disk Replacement (ADR)
- Aspiration of the Olecranon Bursa - Fluid In Elbow
- Atraumatic Shoulder Instability
- Avascular Necrosis (Osteonecrosis)
- Bankart Repair
- Basal Joint Surgery
- Bicep Tendon Tear
- Bicep Tenodesis
- Bone Cement Injection
- Bone Growth Stimulation
- Bone Health Clinic
- Broken Collarbone
- Bunions
- Bursitis of the Shoulder (Subacromial Bursitis)
- Calcific Tendinitis of the Shoulder
- Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
- Charcot Joint
- Chiropractic
- Clavicle Fractures
- Colles’ Fractures (Broken Wrist)
- Common Foot Fractures in Athletes
- Community Outreach
- Cubital Tunnel Syndrome
- De Quervain's Tenosynovitis
- Deep Thigh Bruising
- Degenerative Disk Disease
- Diffuse Idiopathic Skeletal Hyperostosis (DISH)
- Discectomy
- Discitis Treatment & Information
- Dislocated Shoulder
- Dupuytren’s Disease
- Elbow
- Elbow Bursitis
- Elbow Injuries & Inner Elbow Pain in Throwing Athletes
- Epidural Injections for Spinal Pain
- Finger Dislocation
- Flexor Tendonitis
- Foot Stress Fractures
- Foot, Ankle & Lower Leg
- Foraminotomy
- Fractured Fingers
- Fractures Of The Shoulder Blade (Scapula)
- Fractures Of The Tibial Spine
- Functional Nerve Transfers of The Hand
- Ganglion Cysts
- General Orthopedics
- Glenoid Labrum Tear
- Golfer's Elbow
- Groin Strains and Pulls
- Growth Plate Injuries Of The Elbow
- Hallux Rigidus Surgery - Cheilectomy
- Hammer Toe
- Hamstring Injuries
- Hand & Finger Replantation
- Hand & Wrist
- Hand Nerve Decompression
- Hand Skin Grafts
- Hand, Wrist, Elbow & Shoulder
- Heat Injury/Heat Prostration
- High Ankle Sprain (Syndesmosis Ligament Injury)
- Hip & Thigh
- Hip Arthroscopy
- Hip Dislocation
- Hip Flexor Strains
- Hip Fractures
- Hip Hemiarthroplasty
- Hip Impingement Labral Tears
- Hip Muscle Strains
- Hip Pointers and Trochanteric Bursitis
- Hyperextension Injury of the Elbow
- Iliopsoas Tenotomy
- Iliotibial Band Syndrome
- Impingement Syndrome of the Shoulder
- Interlaminar Implants
- Interlaminar Lumbar Instrumental Fusion: ILIF
- Interventional Pain Management
- Interventional Spine
- Intraarticular Calcaneal Fracture
- Joint Replacement
- Knee & Leg
- Kyphoplasty (Balloon Vertebroplasty)
- Kyphosis
- Labral Tears Of The Hip (Acetabular Labrum Tears)
- Laminectomy: Decompression Surgery
- Lateral Collateral Ligament (LCL) Injuries
- Lisfranc Injuries
- Little League Shoulder
- LITTLE LEAGUER'S ELBOW (MEDIAL APOPHYSITIS)
- Lumbar Epidural Steroid Injection
- Lumbar Interbody Fusion (IBF)
- MACI
- Mallet, Hammer & Claw Toes
- Medial Collateral Ligament Injuries
- Meniscus Tears
- Metatarsalgia
- Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery
- Morton’s Neuroma
- Muscle Spasms
- Muscle Strains of The Calf
- Nerve Pain
- Neuromas (Foot)
- Neurosurgery
- Olecranon Stress Fractures
- Orthopaedic Total Wellness
- Orthopedic Physician Or A Podiatrist? Definition of a Podiatrist
- Orthopedic Trauma
- Osteoarthritis of the Hip
- Osteoporosis
- Outpatient Spine Surgery
- Partial Knee Replacement
- Patellar Fracture
- Pelvic Ring Fractures
- Peripheral Nerve Surgery (Hand) Revision
- Pinched Nerve
- Piriformis Syndrome
- Piriformis Syndrome
- Plantar Fasciitis
- Podiatry
- Primary Care Sports Medicine
- Quadriceps Tendon Tear
- Radial Tunnel Syndrome (Entrapment of the Radial Nerve)
- Revascularization of the Hand
- Reverse Total Shoulder Replacement
- Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) of the Shoulder
- Rheumatoid Arthritis Of The Hand
- Robotics
- Rotator Cuff Tears
- Runner's Knee
- Sacroiliac Joint Pain
- Sciatica
- Scoliosis
- Shin Splints
- Shoulder
- Shoulder Arthritis
- Shoulder Arthroscopy
- Shoulder Injury: Pain In The Overhead Athlete
- Shoulder Replacement
- Shoulder Separations
- Shoulder Socket Fracture (Glenoid Fracture)
- SLAP Tears & Repairs
- Spinal Fusion
- Spine
- Spondylolisthesis and Spondylolysis
- Sports Foot Injuries
- Sports Hernias (Athletic Pubalgia)
- Sports Medicine
- Sports Wrist and Hand Injuries
- Sprained Ankle
- Sprained Wrist Symptoms and Treatment
- Subacromial Decompression
- Sudden (Acute) Finger, Hand & Wrist Injuries
- Targeted Muscle Reinnervation (TMR)
- Tendon Transfers of The Hand
- Tennis Elbow Treatment
- Thigh Fractures
- Thigh Muscle Strains
- Thumb Ulnar Collateral Ligament Injuries
- Total Ankle Replacement
- Total Hip Arthroplasty
- Total Hip Replacement - Anterior Approach
- Total Knee Replacement Surgery
- Trapezius Strain (Muscle Strain of The Upper Back)
- Traumatic Shoulder Instability
- Tricep Pain & Tendonitis
- Trigger Finger
- Turf Toe
- UCL (Ulnar Collateral Ligament) Injuries
- Ulnar Neuritis
- Valgus Extension Overload
- Vertebroplasty
- WALANT (Wide Awake Local Anesthesia No Tourniquet)
- Whiplash and Whiplash Associated Disorder (WAD)
- Wound Care
- Wrist Arthroscopy
- Wrist Fractures
- Wrist Tendonitis
Services
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