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Home > Medical Reference > Encyclopedia (English)

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Get answers to your Spine related questions.

Dr. Gelb’s Bio | Q&A Archive

Note: This is for informational purposes only. Doctors cannot provide a diagnosis or individual treatment advice via e-mail. Please consult your physician about your specific health care concerns.

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Spinal fusion - Risks

Alternative Names

Vertebral interbody fusion; Posterior spinal fusion; Arthrodesis; Anterior spinal fusion; Spine surgery - spinal fusion

Risks:

Risks for any surgery are:

Risks for spine surgery are:

  • Infection in the wound or vertebral bones
  • Damage to a spinal nerve, causing weakness, pain, loss of sensation, problems with your bowels or bladder
  • The spinal column above and below the fusion are more likely to cause other back later.
  • Reviewed last on: 3/4/2009
  • C. Benjamin Ma, MD, Assistant Professor, Chief, Sports Medicine and Shoulder Service, UCSF Dept of Orthopaedic Surgery. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

References

Weinstein JN, Tosteson TD, Lurie JD, et al. Surgical versus nonsurgical therapy for lumbar spinal stenosis. N Engl J Med. 2008;358:794-810.

Katz JN, Harris MB. Clinical practice. Lumbar spinal stenosis. N EnglJMed. 2008;358(8):818-825.

Chou R, Qaseem A, et al. Diagnosis and treatment of low back pain: a joint clinical practice guideline from the American College of Physicians and the American Pain Society. Ann Intern Med. 2007;147(7):478-491.

Hedequist DJ. Surgical treatment of congenital scoliosis. Orthop Clin North Am. 2007;38(4):497-509.

Curlee PM. Other disorders of the spine. In: Canale ST, Beatty JH, eds. Campbell's Operative Orthopaedics. 11th ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Mosby Elsevier; 2007:chap 41.

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