Posterior Lumbar Fusion
This procedure describes a method of connecting separate spine bones together with bone, a process knows as “fusing” them together. In the schematic to the right, the pertinent anatomy is outlined. The lamina is the bone the covers the spinal canal, where the nerves are located. The transverse processes are like mini ribs and are good attachment points for the fusion to occur.
The surgical technique involves removing attaches soft tissues, and making the bone surfaces rough to trick the body to react to this mixture of bone graft and native bone as if it were a broken bone.
A healing process is started which, when successful, causes the bones to be fused together and no longer move separately.
This type of process is very useful to stabilize (fix together) unstable spinal bones when they are not moving in a normal fashion, and can stabilize arthritic segments to help alleviate that component of pain due to arthritis.