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Use spine align bolt3/14/2023 ![]() Inform your healthcare provider about all the medications (over-the-counter, prescription, herbal supplements) that you are taking. In the office, you will sign consent forms and provide your medical history (allergies, medicines/vitamins, bleeding history, anesthesia reactions, previous surgeries). Ask your surgeon about his or her training, especially if your case is complex or you have had previous spinal surgery. Many spine surgeons have specialized training in minimally invasive surgery. BMP (bone morphogenetic protein) is sometimes added to bone-graft material to stimulate bone growth naturally in the body.Ī neurosurgeon or orthopedic surgeon, along with a vascular surgeon, performs ALIF surgery.Cellular bone matrix is allograft from an organ donor that contains bone-growing stem cells.The donor graft has no bone-growing cells. Allograft is bone from an organ donor, collected and stored by a bone bank.It is relatively painless compared to an iliac crest graft. BMA (bone marrow aspirate) is your living bone marrow, collected with a syringe from the hip (iliac bone) or vertebra.The entire thickness of bone is not removed, just the top half layer. The harvested bone is about half an inch thick. It can be collected from drillings during the surgery or taken from the hip as an iliac crest bone graft. The marrow contains bone-growing proteins. Each type has advantages and disadvantages. These materials are placed within the remaining disc space and act as a kind of mortar between the bones as your body heals. ![]() ![]() Your surgeon will also explain the various types of bone graft. It will stop the motion in the painful area of your spine, allowing increased function and a return to a more normal lifestyle-though one that may not be totally pain-free. Fusion is performed only after other treatments have been explored. Consider all the risks and benefits as you make your decision. If you are a candidate for spinal fusion, the surgeon will explain your options. In adults this occurs from aging discs, arthritis, or previous spine surgery. Scoliosis: an abnormal curve of the spine caused by misalignment of the bones.Enlarged facet joints and ligaments pinch the nerves causing pain and numbness in the legs. Spinal stenosis: the narrowing of the spinal canal and nerve root canals.It can kink and compress the nerves, causing pain. Spondylolisthesis: a forward slip of a vertebra bone out of its normal position.As the disc thins or herniates, the vertebrae bones rub and pinch the nerves. Degenerative disc disease: the drying and shrinkage of discs with age.obesity (a weight loss plan is advised).severe atherosclerosis of the aorta or iliac vessels peripheral vascular disease.problems that would prevent bone fusion.You are not a candidate for ALIF if you have: symptoms that have not improved with physical therapy or medication.You may be a candidate for ALIF if you have: Patients typically go home a day or two after surgery recovery takes 6 to 12 weeks. The ALIF is performed in a hospital setting. Anterior fusion allows the surgeon to avoid working around the spinal nerves.Moving a forward-slipped L5 vertebra back into normal position and restoring proper tilt (lordosis) is easier from the front.The path to the spine is from the front so there is less pain and disruption to the back muscles.A larger spacer device can be used, providing more support and a better chance of fusion.Fusion will take away some flexibility in your spine, but most patients do not notice.Īnterior spine fusion has several advantages: A one-level fusion joins two bones while a two-level fusion joins three bones. Like reinforced concrete, instrumentation and fusion work together.ĭepending on the symptoms, a one-level or multi-level fusion may be performed. After 3 to 6 months, the graft should fuse the two vertebrae into one solid piece of bone. In some cases, the graft is strengthened with a metal plate and screws.Īs the body heals, new bone grows around the graft. The graft becomes a bridge between the two bones to promote fusion. The spacer restores the height between the bones, corrects the spinal curvature, and relieves pinched nerves. The spine surgeon removes the damaged disc and fills the space between the bones with a spacer bone graft. The vascular surgeon clears a path to the spine, moving aside the vessels to the legs. A vascular surgeon and spine surgeon work as a team. The damaged disc is removed and replaced with a bone graft.ĭuring anterior fusion, an incision is made in the front of the belly. Through an incision made in your belly, anterior lumbar fusion (ALIF) reaches the spine from the front.
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