If you’ve been experiencing spine-related issues that haven’t resolved with physical therapy or epidural steroid injections, spinal fusion surgery could be right for you. To learn if you’re a candidate, or if another procedure might work better for you, reach out to The Institute for Comprehensive Spine Care, with offices around greater New York City, including Queens, Manhattan, the Bronx, and Englewood and Jersey City, New Jersey. Learn more by scheduling a consultation online or over the phone today.
Using spinal fusion Dr. Okubadejo bonds together two or more bones in the spine, called vertebrae. Fusing together two or more vertebrae creates one vertebra that heals stronger than its parts.
Spinal fusion corrects problems in the vertebrae, such as:
Common conditions that cause problems worthy of spinal surgery include:
Scoliosis is the curvature of the spine. When the degree of the curvature becomes extreme, Dr. Okubadejo can straighten it, then fuse the straightened vertebrae together with a bone graft. To support it, he attaches a titanium rod to the spine using a bone graft, hooks, and rods. The rod helps keep the spine straight as the new bone fuses with the old.
Herniated discs are spinal discs that have ruptured or are bulging. When they herniate, the discs can no longer do their job of providing a cushion between vertebrae and keeping the spine flexible. Herniated discs can cause painful conditions like sciatica, which is the compression of a portion of the sciatic nerve.
Degenerative disc disease is a condition with pain caused by a damaged spinal disc. On the outside of spinal discs is a nerve-filled layer. When this layer tears, you can experience excruciating pain.
On the inside of spinal discs is a jellylike nucleus. If it gets punctured or damaged, you can experience tissue swelling and tenderness, and nerve pain.
Other conditions for which you might need spinal fusion include:
Spinal fusion is a major procedure, and for that reason, Dr. Okubadejo doesn’t recommend it lightly. In some cases, though, spinal fusion can be a great choice for you. Spinal fusion might be right for you if:
When you meet with Dr. Okubadejo, he’ll help you determine if spinal fusion is right for you by going over your treatment history and your pain history, and by doing imaging tests.
If you’re interested in spinal fusion, reach out to Dr. Okubadejo at the Institute for Comprehensive Spine Care today.
