ICAC | Posterior Lumbar Fusion

Posterior Lumbar Fusion

Fusion of two lumbar vertebrae to prevent movement. Recovery from lumbar fusion is very positive.

What is posterior lumbar fusion?

Lumbar arthrodesis is the surgical procedure that consists of permanently fusing two lumbar vertebrae to prevent the movement of a vertebral segment that is the cause of lumbar pain, generally due to instability of the vertebral bodies and joints.

At each level of the spinal column, there is an intervertebral space in the anterior part and a pair of facet joints in the posterior part. These structures work together, define a segment of movement and allow various degrees of movement.

Posterior Lumbar Arthrodesis Surgery Information

Pathologies in which posterior lumbar arthrodesis is applied

Arthrodesis is a traumatic intervention that must be indicated by our team of traumatologists specializing in the lumbar area in Madrid.

Surgical intervention will be necessary for patients who present the following injuries or pathologies:

Lumbar spondylolisthesis
Lumbar spinal stenosis
Lumbar degenerative disc disease
Fractures, infections, and/or tumors in lumbar vertebrae

How long does the posterior lumbar fusion procedure take?

The duration of the intervention depends on the segments to be arthrodesar. Generally, arthrodesis of one or two levels is performed.

The anesthesia performed is general, and the patient's position on the operating table is in the prone position (face down). After locating the level to be arthrodesar radiologically, the surgical approach is performed, depending on the technique to be performed, posterior or anterior approach. Surgical duration for one level of arthrodesis is usually 3 hours and 4 hours for two levels.

The technique used and the duration of the intervention may vary. However, in any case, it will be necessary to implant a bone implant in the affected part of the spine.

Posterior lumbar arthrodesis preoperative

Before performing a posterior lumbar arthrodesis, our team needs to know the following information about the patient:

If the person is ingesting any type of drug, with or without a prescription. About two weeks before the surgery, medications that make it harder for the blood to clot may be banned. Among these are aspirin, ibuprofen, naproxen, and the like.
The patient must inform the doctor of chronic diseases (diabetes, heart disease, or other conditions) as well as any pathology or symptom thereof immediately before the operation (cold, fever, flu, herpes outbreak...).
Quitting smoking before posterior lumbar arthrodesis surgery helps reduce complications during surgery.

Posterior lumbar arthrodesis postoperative

After the operation, the patient will remain in the hospital for 3 or 4 days, during which he will gradually resume his physical activity. During this time, pain relievers are administered orally or intravenously

Some guidelines to follow after the posterior lumbar arthrodesis operation are the following:

Go increasing physical activity progressively without excesses, for optimal recovery.
Do not strain the spinal area by pulling or bending for several weeks.
Avoid smoking so that bone fusion is not affected.

Posterior Lumbar Arthrodesis Recovery

For optimal recovery after the intervention, it is essential that the intervention is carried out by a specialist and experienced traumatologist. In addition, it is important that the patient follows the guidelines and exercises prescribed by the doctor or physiotherapist. The main key to recovery from posterior lumbar arthrodesis is to take walks progressively and frequently. Likewise, some physiotherapy and rehabilitation sessions may be necessary, which the traumatologist will communicate to the patient.

Returning to work takes place between 4 and 8 weeks after the intervention.

Usually, there are no sequelae after the posterior lumbar arthrodesis operation. These sequels often depend on the patient's habits and age. For this reason, rehabilitation becomes especially important, since in some cases the patient may present back pain again.

Radiofrequency prognosis in the spine

If the reason for the operation is due to chronic back pain, the recovery expectations are very positive, achieving the total or great elimination of discomfort. Spinal radiofrequency is a treatment that consists of applying heat by means of radioelectric waves to the affected nerves, with the aim of relieving the patient's pain.