Spinal fusion (overview)

Changed by Henry Knipe, 3 Nov 2023

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Disclosures - updated 16 Jan 2023:

Integral Diagnostics, Shareholder (ongoing)
Micro-X Ltd, Shareholder (ongoing)

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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:

Klippel-Feil syndrome

Acquired fusion

Many disease processes can result in fusion of adjacent vertebrae including:

Surgical 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 that confers long-term stability and that fusion solely with instrumentation will eventually fail ¹.

Techniques

One or more of the above-mentioned components can be utilised to achieve fusion. Some of the more common procedures include:

-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. <h4>Congenital fusion</h4>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:<ul><li><a href="/articles/klippel-feil-syndrome-3">Klippel-Feil syndrome</a></li></ul><h4>Acquired fusion</h4>Many disease processes can result in fusion of adjacent vertebrae including: <ul>
~~-<li><a href="/articles/juvenile-idiopathic-arthritis">juvenile idiopathic arthritis</a></li>~~
~~-<li><a href="/articles/ankylosing-spondylitis-1">ankylosing spondylitis</a></li>~~
+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. <h4>Congenital fusion</h4>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:<ul><li><a href="/articles/klippel-feil-syndrome-3">Klippel-Feil syndrome</a></li></ul><h4>Acquired fusion</h4>Many disease processes can result in fusion of adjacent vertebrae including: <ul>
+<li><a href="/articles/juvenile-idiopathic-arthritis">juvenile idiopathic arthritis</a></li>
+<li><a href="/articles/ankylosing-spondylitis-1">ankylosing spondylitis</a></li>
~~-<li><a href="/articles/anterior-cervical-discectomy-and-fusion-acdf">anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF)</a></li>~~
~~-<li><a href="/articles/corpectomy">corpectomy fusion</a></li>~~
~~-<li>lumbar interbody fusion 2<ul>~~
~~-<li><a href="/articles/anterior-lumbar-interbody-fusion-alif">anterior lumbar interbody fusion (ALIF)</a></li>~~
~~-<li><a href="/articles/posterior-lumbar-interbody-fusion-plif">posterior lumbar interbody fusion (PLIF)</a></li>~~
~~-<li><a href="/articles/transforaminal-lumbar-interbody-fusion-tlif">transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (TLIF)</a></li>~~
~~-<li><a href="/articles/lateral-lumbar-interbody-fusion-llif">lateral/eXtreme/direct lumbar interbody fusion (LLIF/XLIF/DLIF)</a></li>~~
+<li><a href="/articles/anterior-cervical-discectomy-and-fusion-acdf">anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF)</a></li>
+<li><a href="/articles/corpectomy">corpectomy fusion</a></li>
+<li>
+lumbar interbody fusion 2
+<ul>
+<li><a href="/articles/anterior-lumbar-interbody-fusion-alif">anterior lumbar interbody fusion (ALIF)</a></li>
+<li><a href="/articles/posterior-lumbar-interbody-fusion-plif">posterior lumbar interbody fusion (PLIF)</a></li>
+<li><a href="/articles/transforaminal-lumbar-interbody-fusion-tlif">transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (TLIF)</a></li>
+<li><a href="/articles/lateral-lumbar-interbody-fusion-llif">lateral/eXtreme/direct lumbar interbody fusion (LLIF/XLIF/DLIF)</a></li>
~~-<li><a href="/articles/posterolateral-lumbar-fusion">posterolateral lumbar fusion</a></li>~~
+<li><a href="/articles/posterolateral-lumbar-fusion">posterolateral lumbar fusion</a></li>
+<li><a href="/articles/interspinous-device" title="Interspinous device">interspinous device</a></li>

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