Spinal Fusion Surgery

Spinal fusion surgery, also known as arthrodesis or vertebral interbody fusion, is a procedure where two or more adjacent vertebral bones are joined together to form a single solid bone. It is performed to stabilize the spine and alleviate pain. The surgery may be referred to as anterior or posterior spinal fusion depending on the approach used

Spinal fusion surgery aims to permanently connect vertebrae, limiting their individual movement. While this may seem to restrict flexibility, it ultimately protects the spinal cord by addressing various conditions like:

• Instability: caused by tumors, fractures, or infections.
• Compression: from herniated discs, stenosis, or kyphosis.
• Misalignment: due to scoliosis or spondylolisthesis.

• Assess over-the-counter medications and supplements.
• Evaluate any history of chronic disorders.
• Cease excessive alcohol, drug use, and smoking.
• Follow fasting guidelines provided by healthcare experts.
• Consult regarding anticoagulant medications.
• Discuss comprehensive medical history with surgical team, including current disorders, medications, allergies, and past chronic illnesses.

• Allergies, infections, and bleeding are common risks.
• Heart attack or stroke during surgery may occur.
• Thrombosis or blood clots can develop, leading to severe health issues.
• Respiratory problems and slow wound healing are possible.
• Severe complications include excessive pain at the graft site, bone infections, and spinal nerve damage.
• Symptoms of thrombosis include breathing difficulties, redness/swelling near the surgical area, fever/chills, bleeding, and calf muscle pain/swelling. Prompt medical attention is necessary if these symptoms occur.

The main reason behind performing a spinal fusion surgery is performed to decompress the spine by merging the two vertebral bones into one solid piece of bone. The other reasons for performing a spinal fusion surgery are as follows:

There are three basic types of spinal fusion. The classification of spinal fusion largely depends on the type of method used for the surgery and the bones that are fused during the surgery. The three basic types of spinal fusion surgery are listed here as follows:

• Cervical fusion: Vertebral bone in the neck region.
• Thoracic fusion: Vertebral bone in the mid-back portion.
• Lumbar fusion: Vertebral bone in the lower back area.

In India, spinal fusion surgery is performed under general anesthesia by orthopedic and neurological surgeons. Specific methods used in this surgery include:

• Incision Technique: A small incision is made in the back, neck, or abdomen to fuse vertebral bones.
• Synthetic Bone Grafts: Clinical grafts made of ceramics, calcium, and phosphate materials are used to maintain the shape and structure of adjacent bones.
• Demineralized Bone Matrices (DBMs): A gel substance is applied to combine adjacent vertebral bones, a safe and commonly used method.
• Bone Morphogenetic Proteins (BMPs): Synthetic bone-forming protein complexes aid fusion between adjacent vertebral bones.

These methods ensure successful spinal fusion surgery with minimal complications, contributing to patient recovery and healing.

The cost of performing spinal fusion surgery in India differs from one state to another and depends upon several other factors, such as the severity of the disease, how the surgery is performed, which method is followed while performing the surgery, the package selected for the spinal fusion surgery, the experience and rate of the surgeon, and so on. On an average, the cost of performing spinal fusion surgery in India starts from 5000 US Dollars or 3, 67, 000 INR and can reach up to a maximum range of 7,000 US Dollars.