Spinal fusion, spaghettién known as fusión vertebral, it is a type of surgeryíto whose functionón is to merge two or más vévertebrae belonging to the vertebral column, avoiding movement between them. It is expected that after aíall time, these vertebrae to join permanently becomeésitting on a single boneólido.
Si en la prápractice of vertebral arthrodesis fuse only two veinsévertebrae the patient does not feelá andúno change in their movements, but when increasing the fusión to más two-level increaseán the stresses on those segments not fused. In cases of scoliosis or lumbar deformity, beá necessary to merge a míthree-level mood to correct deviationón.
The diagnóstico and the preoperative must be precise if you want to have ésuccess in surgeryía. The médoctor surgeon must be an expert in the áarea and the patient must be healthy, without diseases that prevent a fair rehabilitationón.
Index
¿CuáWhen should I have a vertebral arthrodesis??
If you have one of the following spinal conditions, you should make an appointment with himédoctor specialist as soon as possible.
- An abnormal curvature in the spine and suspicion of suffering scoliosis O cifosis.
- One includedón of the spinal canal which may terminate in a spinal stenosis.
- any kind of injuryón at the height of the vévertebrae of the spine.
- When you have suffered stress on the lower back and feel pain, it will be possibleíto have slipped a vévertebra with respect to the one that follows it. You can suspect a spondylolisthesis.
- A tumor that affects the stability of the spine.
surgical procedureúrgic of vertebral arthrodesis
the surgeryía is carried out under general anesthesia. The patient will beá totally asleep and not feelá andúno kind of pain.
The first thing the surgeon does is make an incision.ón, separating the múmuscles and tissue on the back or neck (to dependá where arthrodesis is needed), in order to expose the spine. If a discectomy is neededía o laminectomía, this is the time to do it.
when everything isé prepared, if to useá the graft to serveá to merge the vévertebrae permanently. The graft is placed óseo between the vévertebrae or at the back of the vertebral column.
Finally the v are fixedévertebrae using screws or plates to keep them immovable until the grafts óhope they have fulfilled their missionón.
Pain in patient may not go away, even when I fused itóhas not been done successfully. This can happen when spinal fusion is performed on más de 2 levels, because normal movements are limited.
Grafts used in surgeryíspinal arthrodesis
in a surgeryía of vertebral fusion includes a graft óseo, so that both vertebrae can develop into a úonly bone.
This graft can be of three types.
Auto injection óseo. It is part of a bone from the same patient, usually taken from the hip. This surgeryía has a probability of ésuccess between the 90% and the 95%.
The úonly drawback is that another incision must be madeón the patient on the hip and if the sizeñor the graft is very large, there may be a risk of fracture in the bone pélvico.
Alloinjerto óseo. It involves the use of a bone donated by a cadáver, to be used as a graft. As it does not have célive squid, there is no risk that the graft will be rejected.
The recoveryón is usually más slower than with an autograft óseo. while más levels are required, máyou can tell the difference in recoveryón regarding autograft óseo.
graft substitutes óseo. They are vertebral implants generally made of titanium, plástico or carbon fiber. Because of his conditionón the centéticos, there is no risk of transmissionóNo of diseases.
Postoperative of vertebral arthrodesis
after surgeryírest must be kept. It's likeún stay in recoveryón and observationónot for at least 4 días inside the center méI say.
Postoperative pain is completely normal. During the first dírecovery aceóin the méI say to administerá analéphysical in order to mitigate the afflictionón.
Dutyá learn to move correctly so as not to cause unnecessary stress to the spine. Sit down, walk and even get out of bed in the positionónot correct, without bending the spine.
tenderá to use a special girdle the recovery timeón, to fix the column in a positionón straight and avoid sudden movements.
For a recoveryón ráask, try to maintain an ideal weight, neither excessively nor déit does. Dutyá exercise when indicated by the specialist.
The recovery timeón total is diffíeasy to predict even for the surgeon.
Typically patients who undergo surgeryíspinal arthrodesis, they begin to suffer again from the vertebral column when passing the toños. This is because the ámerged area remains immóvile and the vévertebrae above and below move with greater effort and tensionón increases in that area.
