The Downside of Stabilization Surgery and How You Can Avoid It

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The Downside of Stabilization Surgery and How You Can Avoid It

Stabilization surgery, also known as spinal fusion, is a common procedure sometimes performed in conjunction with spinal decompression on stenosis patients. Essentially, it uses bone grafts and metal implants to join two or more vertebrae in an attempt to lend support to a weakened one. Weakening can occur during decompression surgery because chunks of bone are cut away to create more room in the spinal canal. While stabilization surgery can be successful in providing more support, the drawbacks of the procedure make it an unattractive choice for many patients.

The risks associated with stabilization surgery include:

Rejection of the bone graft
Infection
Immobility that causes pain and pressure in a different part of the spine

In a more general sense, stabilization surgery is highly invasive, and it requires hospitalization, large incisions, general anesthesia, and a lengthy recovery time. Its effectiveness is also hotly debated by back care physicians. Fortunately, this procedure doesn’t have to be a part of the treatment plan for spinal stenosis sufferers if they avoid surgeries that substantially weaken vertebra. Laser Spine Institute offers several surgery alternatives and never performs spinal fusion procedures. When bone removal is required, LSI takes a small enough portion to leave the affected vertebra strong, but large enough to allow nerves to pass unimpeded. As an added bonus, all of our procedures are performed on an out-patient basis, require a small incision and have a very low risk of infection and short recovery times. And unlike stabilization surgery, our procedures succeed in a reduction of symptoms for more than 85% of our patients.

If you are interested in learning more about our minimally invasive spinal stenosis treatments, contact us today. We’ll review your MRI or CT scan for free.

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