Monday, 25 August 2014

Multilevel Spinal Fusion: A New Alternative To Traditional Spine Treatment

By Neil P. Hines


Everyone probably remembers being told to sit up straight. Posture is something that is both medically important and also socially regulated. However, for those suffering from spinal disorders, poor posture may be the result of something more serious than a bad attitude or a broken chair. Through multilevel spinal fusion, there is now new hope for people who have these disorders.

This treatment causes two or more vertebrae to connect on a permanent basis through fusing of the bone tissue. The vertebrae are the individual small bones that make up the body's backbone. They are separated by flat discs of cartilage. The spine joins the skeleton's different parts together, from the skull to the chest to the pelvis, and so it is understandable that any disorder affecting the backbone results in reduced motion and reduced quality of life, let alone posture.

Common disorders of the spine are those such as scoliosis or kyphosis, which are both easily recognisable by the distorted posture that they cause. Sometimes, a cartilage disc may shift out of place (herniation, usually referred to as a slipped disc), or external trauma may result in a fractured vertebra. Over time, the cartilage may also disappear, allowing bone to touch bone. These problems are treatable through the process of vertebral merging. It may also be applied to cases of severe back pain.

The basic premise of the treatment, namely that two adjacent vertebrae are connected by bone tissue, relies on the natural ability of bones to merge with one another. There are two techniques used to induce merging between the vertebrae. The posterolateral option entails placing a bone graft between the transverse arms or processes protruding from the spine, using screws. During the interbody alternative, the cartilage disc, or what remains of it, is entirely removed and a synthetic plate is inserted between the vertebrae so that they grow together at their edges. The use of both techniques at the same time is known as 360-degree treatment.

The multi part of the name is a reference to the extent of the intervention. The spaces between the vertebrae are known as levels. A single level procedure involves only one join, while a multilevel process is more extensive. Usually, the treatment does not go beyond two levels.

The installation of the screws during the posterolateral process should only be done by a practitioner who has the necessary training and experience, as the screws' positioning is essential to the procedure's success. The synthetic discs used in the interbody method are available in different materials, so this also should be assessed in conjunction with the patient.

This type of spine therapy is a relatively recent development and has attracted not insubstantial criticism. New medical methods often suffer opposition, and take time to become more universally established, so patients should try to make an educated and balanced decision in deciding to undergo them.




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