Bone fusion, also known as arthrodesis, is a surgical procedure designed to permanently join two or more bones together, preventing movement between them. This is often done to stabilize a painful or unstable joint, or to correct a deformity.
The Process of Bone Fusion
The core principle of bone fusion is to create a bridge of new bone that grows between the bones intended for fusion. This process involves the following steps:
- Preparation: The surgeon first prepares the surfaces of the bones that will be fused, often by removing cartilage or roughening the bone surfaces to promote better bone growth.
- Graft Placement: The surgeon then uses a graft material, often bone, to encourage bone growth across the gap between the bones. As stated in our reference, "The surgeon will use a graft (such as bone) to hold (or fuse) the bones together permanently."
- Types of bone graft placement:
- Strips of bone graft material may be placed over the back part of the spine.
- Bone graft material may be placed between the vertebrae.
- Types of bone graft placement:
- Stabilization: The bones are held in the desired position using plates, screws, rods, or other hardware. This ensures the bones remain immobile while the new bone growth takes place.
- Healing: Over time, the graft material encourages new bone growth. The body's natural healing process gradually converts the bone graft into solid bone, fusing the bones into one single, immobile unit.
Types of Bone Grafts
The bone graft material can come from several sources:
- Autograft: Bone taken from the patient's own body (typically from the hip or another non-essential bone). This has the best success rate because it uses the patient's own cells and reduces the risk of rejection.
- Allograft: Bone taken from a deceased donor. This eliminates the need for a second surgery to harvest the graft, but carries a slightly higher risk of rejection.
- Synthetic Bone Graft: Man-made materials that mimic the structure of bone, these provide a scaffold for the body's own bone cells to grow.
Outcomes of Bone Fusion
- Pain Relief: By eliminating movement between bones, fusion can significantly reduce pain associated with unstable or arthritic joints.
- Stabilization: Provides stability for joints that are unstable due to injury or disease.
- Deformity Correction: Corrects bone deformities and improves alignment.
- Reduced Mobility: Because the bones are fused, some mobility is lost in the fused area. This is a necessary trade-off to achieve stability and pain relief.
| Procedure Step | Description |
|---|---|
| Preparation | Surgeon prepares the bones for fusion. |
| Graft Placement | Bone graft placed between or over the bones. |
| Stabilization | Bones held in place with hardware. |
| Healing | New bone growth fuses the bones permanently. |
