An incision is made in the centre of the back. The muscles are shifted to the side to reveal the spine. To relax the vertebrae, the joints between them are eliminated. The vertebrae are roughened so that the body responds by generating new bone. The new bone finally bridges the spaces between the vertebrae and causes them to fuse together. Metal implants such as rods, screws, hooks, or wires are used to stabilise the spine while the vertebrae fuse.
Spinal fusion surgery typically takes four to six hours, however this varies depending on the patient. The surgeons will take as much time as they need to complete the procedure correctly.
Among the potential complications of surgery are:
Bleeding is reduced by cauterising bleeding vessels during the procedure and utilising a device that facilitates the return of blood lost to the patient at the end of the procedure. If it is predicted that a patient would lose a considerable amount of blood and that transfusion is likely, the patient will be requested to donate two units of blood within a month of surgery.
Infection This is a possibility if the skin is cut for whatever reason. Sterile precautions are taken in the operating room, and the patient is given antibiotics both before and after the operation. In addition, before closing the incision, it is rinsed with a pressurised system.
Nerve Injury The severity of possible nerve injury can range from small, such as numbness caused by compression of a nerve that sends sensation to the front of the leg, to serious, such as paralysis. The chance of serious neural injury is considerably under 1%, but it is not zero, so it is critical to have an open and honest discussion about this with your orthopaedic surgeon.