Spinal fusion permanently joins two or more vertebrae to eliminate painful motion between them and stabilize the spine. Bone graft material and, often, metal hardware are used to fuse the vertebrae into a single solid bone over time. It is commonly performed to treat degenerative disc disease, spinal instability, fractures, or deformity, providing lasting pain relief and improved spinal stability.
Spinal fusion is generally recommended when conservative treatments such as physiotherapy, medication, and injections fail to relieve pain caused by instability, severe disc degeneration, spondylolisthesis, or deformity. Your spine surgeon will confirm the need using MRI, CT, and X-ray imaging.