Spinal instability refers to a condition where weakness in the structural components of the spine allows for excessive motion. This motion can result in irritation of the nerves, causing pain, numbness, or weakness. Spinal instability can also cause posturally related back pain. Instability can result from trauma, congenital conditions, degenerative changes, or surgery. When spinal instability contributes to pain or weakness, or is anticipated because of planned surgical intervention, then your surgeon may recommend a spinal fusion.

Fusion techniques have improved considerably over the last decade with development of better spinal implants and bone fusion technologies. Achieving a good fusion involves two equally important components: 1) Instrumentation to provide immediate structural strength to the spine, and 2) Bone fusion to provide long term stability by causing adjacent vertebrae two fuse into one solid piece of bone.

Instrumentation techniques are many and varied, depending on the necessities dictated by your individual case. They include pedicle screws, posterior or transverse lumbar interbody fusion (PLIF or TLIF), anterior lumbar interbody fusion (ALIF), or a combination thereof. Historically bone grafts taken from the hip have been used as a source of fusion bone, though now this is often replaced by a product called Infuse® which we have used with great success to achieve solid bony fusion, obviating the need for a separate, often painful incision to harvest bone graft.