Spinal fusion (overview)
Updates to Article Attributes
Spinal fusion is a broad term to denote the joining of two or more adjacent vertebral segments. Fusion can be congenital or acquired as a direct result of disease or deliberately following spinal surgery.
Congenital fusion
Fusion of two or more adjacent segments is encountered either as an isolated, usually incidental, finding or in a variety of conditions with multiple other defects.
Acquired fusion
Many disease processes can result in fusion of adjacent vertebrae including:
Operative fusion
Numerous procedures have been developed over the years to fuse spinal segments to treat a variety of conditions (e.g. spondylolisthesis, unstable spinal fractures, disc protrusions). It should be noted that it is osseous fusion thanthat confers long-term stability and that fusion solely with instrumentation will eventually fail 1.
Hardware
A number of components are used to achieve fusion. These include 1:
- connecting rods
- Hartshill rectangles
- interbody spacers/cages
- laminar hooks
- plates
- screws
- pedicle screws
- facet joint screws
- translaminar screws
- vertebral body replacement devices
- wires
Techniques
One or more of the above-mentioned components can be utilised to achieve fusion. Some of the more common procedures include:
-<li><a href="/articles/ankylosing-spondylitis">ankylosing spondylitis</a></li>-</ul><h4>Operative fusion</h4><p>Numerous procedures have been developed over the years to fuse spinal segments to treat a variety of conditions (e.g. <a href="/articles/spondylolisthesis-1">spondylolisthesis</a>, unstable <a href="/articles/spinal-fractures">spinal fractures</a>, <a href="/articles/disc-protrusion">disc protrusions</a>). It should be noted that it is osseous fusion than confers long-term stability and that fusion solely with instrumentation will eventually fail <sup>1</sup>.</p><h5>Hardware</h5><p>A number of components are used to achieve fusion. These include <sup>1</sup>: </p><ul>- +<li><a href="/articles/ankylosing-spondylitis-1">ankylosing spondylitis</a></li>
- +</ul><h4>Operative fusion</h4><p>Numerous procedures have been developed over the years to fuse spinal segments to treat a variety of conditions (e.g. <a href="/articles/spondylolisthesis-1">spondylolisthesis</a>, unstable <a href="/articles/spinal-fractures">spinal fractures</a>, <a href="/articles/disc-protrusion">disc protrusions</a>). It should be noted that it is osseous fusion that confers long-term stability and that fusion solely with instrumentation will eventually fail <sup>1</sup>.</p><h5>Hardware</h5><p>A number of components are used to achieve fusion. These include <sup>1</sup>: </p><ul>
Image 6 X-ray (Lateral) ( create )
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