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Perimeter Graft Used in Spinal Fusion

There are many reasons why a person may experience back pain. One of the main reasons is problems with the vertebrae (or bones) of the back, such rupturing, swelling or crushing of the discs that sit between them. Spinal fusion is a treatment for this and involves the grafting of the vertebrae.

  1. Vertebrae

    • The vertebrae are bones in the spine that connect the strong, gel-filled discs, allowing the spine to move. Most back pain is caused by complications in the vertebrae or the discs between them. Because the vertebrae protect the spinal cord, it is very important not to damage them.

    Discs

    • The gel-filled discs between the vertebrae act as shock absorbers for the spine. There are a number of diseases that affect the spinal discs, and they can also be damaged. Ruptured or crushed discs lose the capacity to absorb the everyday shock that occurs even when walking. If the spinal discs are causing pain, the vertebrae on either side of the problem disc must be made to stop moving.

    Spinal Fusion

    • During a spinal fusion, the flesh and muscles are parted to expose the spine. The surgeon then circumvents the problem disc by grafting and fusing the vertebrae around it. If the back problem is not disc-based, the vertebrae around the problem vertebrae will be fused to reduce movement that is causing the pain. If the pain is caused by a fracture of the vertebrae, only that bone will be grafted.

    Grafting

    • Grafting refers to a procedure in which pieces of bone are placed between vertebrae. A bone graft is placed between the existing bones. Over time, the body will grow around the graft, fusing the bones together. When fusing vertebrae together, a perimeter graft may also be conducted. This entails crushing the bone to be grafted. This will then be placed around the fusion site, speeding up the healing process.

    Problems

    • If the crushed bone used in a graft on the surface of a bone is not taken from the patient's own body, there is a chance that it will not speed up the healing process. As with all surgeries, there is a risk of infection, and a graft on one bone may make problems with the surrounding bones more likely.

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