Monday, June 17, 2013

Spinal fusion: Surgically correcting an S-shaped spine



To date, there are seven million Americans who are currently suffering from scoliosis, and some of them aren’t aware of the treatment that medicine can afford them. Fortunately, the surgical procedure used to treat scoliosis is fairly accessible and is actually recommended by many orthopedists.



Image Source: activelivingchiro.ca


For most orthopedic surgeons, age is an important factor to consider when performing any surgical procedure that aims to check scoliosis. In the event that a patient is deemed eligible for surgical scoliosis correction, he or she will undergo a procedure known as spinal fusion, a “welding” process that aims to realign and fuse the curved vertebrae (a basic problem in scoliosis) so that they can heal to form a single, solid bone. Once this is ensured, the growth of the abnormal segment of the spine will stop growing, hence preventing the worsening of the spine’s lateral curvature.



Image Source: scoliosisassociates.com


In this procedure, a bone graft (a transplanted bone tissue) is used to fuse the bones together. Grafts are usually taken from other parts of the body—most commonly from the pelvic bone—while other grafts are taken from bone banks (allograft) or even synthetic substitutes. These small pieces of bone tissue are then placed in between the vertebral disks to promote fusion.

After bone graft placement, some fixators (usually metal rods, screws, plates, and cages) are installed to ensure the tight placement of grafts and ultimately the healthy growth of the spine.



Image Source: danyluprichard.deviantart.com


Satori World Medical, a company founded and managed by Steven Lash, offers spinal fusion surgery at affordable rates. Learn more by visiting this website.

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