
Spinal Fusion in New Jersey
Painful disorders of the spine can cause debilitating symptoms that interfere with everyday life. Very rarely do these ailments improve on their own. They often require the expertise of a specialist. If conservative approaches, such as rest, targeted physical therapy, supportive braces, and medication, are unsuccessful, more comprehensive measures may be necessary.
Branko Skovrlj, MD, a world-renowned spine surgeon, and the team at NU-Spine: The Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery Institute perform spinal fusion as part of our minimally invasive spine surgery offerings. Spinal fusion can help patients achieve long-term relief from neck or back pain. With locations throughout the state, including Paramus, Woodbridge, Toms River, Jersey City, Holmdel, Freehold, and Hainesport, NU-Spine is New Jersey’s spine specialist.
What Is Spinal Fusion?
Spinal fusion is a minimally invasive spinal procedure that permanently connects two or more vertebrae in the spine to prevent pain and instability. The procedure creates one solid bone. It is an effective treatment for painful disorders of the spine, especially those that cause discomfort with every movement.
Surgeons perform the procedure to eliminate any flexibility or motion at a painful vertebral segment. Doing so prevents a patient from experiencing pain in the affected joint.
Spinal fusion has a high success rate, but outcomes vary from patient to patient. It’s an effective treatment option used to relieve the symptoms of a wide range of back conditions, including:
- Lumbar degenerative disc disease
- Spinal weakness or instability
- Spondylolisthesis
- Spinal repair after tumors have been removed
- Kyphosis of the middle spine (thoracic kyphosis)
- Lumbar spinal stenosis
- Scoliosis or curvature of the spine
- Fractured vertebra that causes spinal instability
- Thoracic disc herniation
- Tingling or numbness in one or both legs
- Sharp or severe pain in your lower back, buttocks, or legs
Who Is a Candidate for Spinal Fusion?
Very rarely is spinal fusion the first course of action. In most cases, it’s reserved when other methods have not produced the desired results. Before recommending spinal fusion surgery, the specialists at NU-Spine will exhaust all other treatment options, including pain medication, physical therapy, stretching exercises, and steroid injections. If patients are still expecting pain and discomfort that’s impacting their quality of life, the spinal procedure is recommended.
Different Types of Spinal Fusion Procedures
Dr. Skovrlj and the rest of the spine experts at NU-Spine are well-versed in various types of spinal fusion surgeries. Two of the most common are:
- Transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (TLIF): This spinal fusion technique joins two or more vertebrae in the lower back together using hardware implants. The purpose of the procedure is to decompress the spinal cord, stop joint degeneration, and eliminate further movement in the spine segment.
- Extreme lateral interbody fusion (XLIF/X-LIF): A minimally invasive spinal fusion surgery that’s performed laterally, or from the side of the back. This technique prevents the need to cut through muscle, making it easier for the surgeon to avoid aggravating nerves.
The technique performed by Dr. Skovrlj and his team depends on the location of the affected vertebra, the condition of the surrounding vertebrae, and the patient’s overall health.
In some cases, spinal fusion is used in conjunction with other procedures to achieve optimal results. Before performing the fusion surgery, patients may need to undergo the following complementary procedures:
- Corpectomy: This procedure involves removing material from discs and vertebrae to create extra space around the spinal cord, relieving pressure and pain.
- Discectomy: This surgical procedure involves removing all or part of a spinal disc to relieve pressure on the spinal nerves.
Understanding How Spinal Fusion Is Completed
Once it’s determined spinal fusion is the correct approach to treatment, Dr. Skovrlj explains to patients what the procedure involves and the techniques used to eliminate motion between vertebrae to reduce back pain.
To conduct the procedure, the surgeon will perform the following steps:
Sedation
Spinal fusion requires patients to be administered general anesthesia.
Incision
The incision site depends on the location of the affected segment of the spine. The surgeon may reach the target area entering through the side of the spine, abdomen, throat, neck, or back.
Preparation of Bone Graft
Spinal fusion requires a bone graft or a synthetic bone substitute to fit between the two or more affected vertebrae. The doctor may harvest bone from the patient’s pelvis or another part of the body, which involves the need for another incision to access the bone. Donor banks are also available.
Placement and Fusion
The surgeon places the bone graft between the affected vertebrae to join them permanently. Some procedures involve using a cage to hold the vertebrae and bone graft together.
Internal Fixation
Once the graft is set in place, the surgeon uses hardware (plates, screws, or rods) to secure it. The hardware prevents any spinal movement between these vertebrae. Additionally, the hardware speeds up the healing process and increases the success rate of the procedure.
Why Minimally Invasive Spinal Fusion?
Spinal fusion can be performed as open (traditional) surgery or using minimally invasive techniques. Dr. Skovrlj specializes in minimally invasive spine surgery and employs those techniques whenever it is best for the patient.
The benefits of minimally invasive surgery compared to open back surgery include:
- Faster recovery: Patients often recover faster and can return to normal activities much quicker with minimally invasive back surgery.
- Less pain: Because surgeons use smaller incisions, patients experience less pain after the procedure and have a reduced need for pain medication.
- Less scarring: Smaller incisions result in less scarring and better cosmetic results.
- Decreased blood loss: With smaller incisions, patients experience less blood loss during surgery.
- Reduced risk of infection: Patients have a lower risk of infection after surgery.
- Less damage to healthy tissue:Not needing significant incisions benefits patients and results in less damage to muscles and ligaments.
- Shorter hospital stays: Patients may have shorter hospital stays after surgery, allowing them to return to their normal lives faster.
- Less anesthesia: Patients may need less anesthesia for the surgery with minimally invasive techniques.
Achieve Relief With a World-Renowned Neurosurgeon
Just about every movement we make engages the spine. For this reason, spinal conditions that cause pain and discomfort can have a devasting impact on our quality of life. Dr. Skovrlj and the team at NU-Spine: The Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery Institute are committed to treating patients throughout New Jersey and beyond who are limited by spinal conditions.
Dr. Skovrlj uses a combination of cutting-edge procedures and the latest technology to diagnose and treat a wide range of spinal conditions and diseases. Transform your life with a touch of care! Experience the cutting edge in minimally invasive spine treatments. Don’t wait for relief; schedule your appointment with the spine experts at NU-Spine. We have locations in Paramus, Woodbridge, Toms River, Jersey City, Holmdel, Freehold, and Hainesport, making us the go-to spine specialist in New Jersey.