suitable for all patients, though. People with
multiple level dysfunction, who are obese
or who have scoliosis, problems at the facet
joints, or previous surgeries are not good
candidates for disk replacement surgery.
For patients who are good candidates,
we see some advantages: less analgesic
use and fewer repeat surgeries than for
traditional fusion surgery for at least two
years out from the initial procedure.
3
Posterior Dynamic Stabilization Devices
This describes several pieces of
hardware that can be used to help reduce
hypermobility. They function as an
internal brace, using combinations of
screws, cords, flexible rods, and spacers.
So far, posterior dynamic stabilization
devices have been used in addition to
traditional fusion surgery and are now
being tried as a freestanding intervention.
4
POSSIBLE COMPLICATIONS FROM
SPINAL FUSION SURGERY
As one might imagine, the possible
complications from spinal fusion surgery
are serious. The same risks seen with any
open surgery are present, including blood
clots, excessive bleeding, and infection.
But these surgeries also carry the chance
of nerve damage, pain at the graft site,
broken hardware, and failure of the graft
to take hold. Equipment failure and poor
grafting can require follow-up surgeries,
which of course carry further risks.
But the most common risk associated
with spinal fusions is that pain may
not be relieved. About 80 percent of
patients get some pain relief (although
most do not report being completely
pain-free). But around 20 percent of
patients find that the surgery did not
solve their problem, even without
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