Auto accidents are notorious for causing various injuries to all parts of the body. Whether you were rear-ended at high speeds, t-boned, or had a head-on collision, all major motor vehicle accidents have the potential to result in severe pain and injuries to those involved. Even a fender bender could cause whiplash or another kind of serious injury.

When a car accident occurs, and the collision impacts your spinal column, that is when you will likely have some major complications. Whether it is the cervical spine, lumbar spine, or thoracic spine, all portions of the vertebral column are fragile and will require a thorough examination by a trained professional if you have been injured during an auto collision. Some spinal injuries following an auto accident may need surgical procedures to heal from the injury. One such procedure is spinal fusion surgery.

At New York Spine Specialist, our team of professional spine surgeons is here to help those victims injured in a car accident heal from their injuries through our state-of-the-art surgical procedures. We understand how the various parts of the spinal cord work in conjunction with one another and the spinal nerves and spinal canal to ensure that your body functions properly.

If you have sustained a serious injury to the spinal cord, you have spinal weakness, or are experiencing neck pain; you may need spinal fusion or other surgical procedures that we can offer. Contact New York Spine Specialist today to schedule an appointment with our spinal fusion experts.

Spine Injuries Following an Auto Accident

Depending on the kind of accident you are involved in, the types of injuries that you may experience can vary from person to person. There are, however, several common spine injuries that occur as a result of motor vehicle accidents. These include:

• Soft tissue injuries: sprains, strains, tears to the muscles, tendons, and ligaments
• Whiplash: a jerking back and forth of the head and neck which results in serious pain in the cervical spine
• Herniated disk: the force from the car accident can cause the supportive discs between the vertebrae to slip out of place and cause serious pain when the compression affects the nerves in the lumbar or cervical spinal regions.
• Fractures: the most common fracture is a compression fracture when there is major stress or pressure on the spine, resulting in cracks in the bone. It can affect the spinal cord or surrounding nerves and needs to be examined by orthopedic surgeons as soon as possible.
• Spinal cord injuries: there are a variety of spinal cord injuries that can occur because of a car accident, and the effects can be severe. There might be permanent nerve damage or paralysis, depending on the level of injury.

You may need spinal fusion surgery performed by professional orthopedic surgeons to alleviate the pain and discomfort for some of these injuries.

What Is Spinal Fusion Surgery?

Spinal fusion, also known as spondylosis or spondylosyndesis, is a surgical procedure where two or more vertebrae are joined together. When the procedure is successful, it will prevent any movement of those vertebrae, and it can be performed at any level in the spinal area. Essentially, the surgeon approaches the process to mimic the actions of the body’s natural healing process for broken bones.

During spinal fusion surgery, a bone graft will be done. The surgeon will place bone graft material (usually taken from your bone (pelvic bone) or a cadaver bone from a bone bank) or artificial bone substitute in the space between the two affected vertebrae. If necessary, metal plates, screws, and rods can be used to help the vertebrae remain together and heal.

The surgery can be done in many locations throughout the spine, including:

• Cervical spinal fusion
• Posterior spinal fusion
• Anterior lumbar interbody fusion
• Lumbar fusion
• Anterior spinal fusion
• Transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion

Whether it is from disc herniation, a fracture, or any other condition of the spinal segments, our New York Spine Specialist team can help.

Expectations for the Bone Graft Surgical Procedure

Prior to the spine fusion surgery, medical images will be taken that will be used to develop a plan for the procedure and to ensure that the exact location of the injury is found. Your surgeon will also make a detailed history of any medical conditions you already have to ensure that the spinal fusion surgery will succeed.

The actual spinal fusion itself can take anywhere from 2 to 7 hours, depending on the location and severity of the injury. The surgery basically has three parts: incision for access to the injured area, bone graft preparation (including removing a portion of your body’s bone if the graft is not coming from a bone donor or a synthetic bone), and the fusion procedure itself. You will be placed under general anesthesia, so you will not be conscious during the process.

Following the surgery, you will generally spend 2 to 3 days recovering in the hospital, and pain medicines will be prescribed to relieve the pain from the surgery. The fusion will usually take several months to heal and fuse completely, so you may be instructed to wear a brace for correct spine alignment or be put on best rest. Physical therapy may also be necessary.

When Is Spine Surgery Necessary?

Spinal fusion surgery is unnecessary for all patients experiencing back pain, leg pain, or neck pain. In some cases, spinal fusion may worsen or cause unnecessary trauma to the patient.

In general, patients can receive spinal fusion treatment if they have:

• fractured bones in the spine resulting from a car accident
• abnormal curvatures from conditions like scoliosis
• unstable or weak spines due to tumors or infections
• degenerative disc disease
• chronic lower back pain from conditions such as severe arthritis

A professional spine specialist must examine any spine pain, especially after an auto accident. When other treatments are ineffective at pain relief, spinal fusion after an auto accident may be the right choice.

Contact New York Spine Specialist for Spinal Fusion Surgery Treatment

If you have been in an auto accident and injured your spine, it is important to seek medical attention right away. Our New York Spine Specialist experts understand how your back and spine function for the rest of your body and can worsen other medical problems if the spine is injured. Contact us today to find out more about spinal fusion treatment.

What Is Spinal Fusion After an Auto Accident?

Auto accidents are notorious for causing various injuries to all parts of the body. Whether you were rear-ended at high speeds, t-boned, or had a head-on collision, all major motor vehicle accidents have the potential to result in severe pain and injuries to those involved. Even a fender bender could cause whiplash or another kind of serious injury.

When a car accident occurs, and the collision impacts your spinal column, that is when you will likely have some major complications. Whether it is the cervical spine, lumbar spine, or thoracic spine, all portions of the vertebral column are fragile and will require a thorough examination by a trained professional if you have been injured during an auto collision. Some spinal injuries following an auto accident may need surgical procedures to heal from the injury. One such procedure is spinal fusion surgery.

At New York Spine Specialist, our team of professional spine surgeons is here to help those victims injured in a car accident heal from their injuries through our state-of-the-art surgical procedures. We understand how the various parts of the spinal cord work in conjunction with one another and the spinal nerves and spinal canal to ensure that your body functions properly.

If you have sustained a serious injury to the spinal cord, you have spinal weakness, or are experiencing neck pain; you may need spinal fusion or other surgical procedures that we can offer. Contact New York Spine Specialist today to schedule an appointment with our spinal fusion experts.

Spine Injuries Following an Auto Accident

Depending on the kind of accident you are involved in, the types of injuries that you may experience can vary from person to person. There are, however, several common spine injuries that occur as a result of motor vehicle accidents. These include:

• Soft tissue injuries: sprains, strains, tears to the muscles, tendons, and ligaments
• Whiplash: a jerking back and forth of the head and neck which results in serious pain in the cervical spine
• Herniated disk: the force from the car accident can cause the supportive discs between the vertebrae to slip out of place and cause serious pain when the compression affects the nerves in the lumbar or cervical spinal regions.
• Fractures: the most common fracture is a compression fracture when there is major stress or pressure on the spine, resulting in cracks in the bone. It can affect the spinal cord or surrounding nerves and needs to be examined by orthopedic surgeons as soon as possible.
• Spinal cord injuries: there are a variety of spinal cord injuries that can occur because of a car accident, and the effects can be severe. There might be permanent nerve damage or paralysis, depending on the level of injury.

You may need spinal fusion surgery performed by professional orthopedic surgeons to alleviate the pain and discomfort of some of these injuries.

 

What Is Spinal Fusion Surgery?

Spinal fusion, also known as spondylosis or spondylosyndesis, is a surgical procedure where two or more vertebrae are joined together. When the procedure is successful, it will prevent any movement of those vertebrae, and it can be performed at any level in the spinal area. Essentially, the surgeon approaches the process to mimic the actions of the body’s natural healing process for broken bones.

During spinal fusion surgery, a bone graft will be done. The surgeon will place bone graft material (usually taken from your bone (pelvic bone) or a cadaver bone from a bone bank) or artificial bone substitute in the space between the two affected vertebrae. If necessary, metal plates, screws, and rods can be used to help the vertebrae remain together and heal.

The surgery can be done in many locations throughout the spine, including:

• Cervical spinal fusion
• Posterior spinal fusion
• Anterior lumbar interbody fusion
• Lumbar fusion
• Anterior spinal fusion
• Transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion

Whether it is from disc herniation, a fracture, or any other condition of the spinal segments, our New York Spine Specialist team can help.

 

Expectations for the Bone Graft Surgical Procedure

Prior to the spine fusion surgery, medical images will be taken that will be used to develop a plan for the procedure and to ensure that the exact location of the injury is found. Your surgeon will also make a detailed history of any medical conditions you already have to ensure that the spinal fusion surgery will succeed.

The actual spinal fusion itself can take anywhere from 2 to 7 hours, depending on the location and severity of the injury. The surgery basically has three parts: incision for access to the injured area, bone graft preparation (including removing a portion of your body’s bone if the graft is not coming from a bone donor or a synthetic bone), and the fusion procedure itself. You will be placed under general anesthesia, so you will not be conscious during the process.

Following the surgery, you will generally spend 2 to 3 days recovering in the hospital, and pain medicines will be prescribed to relieve the pain from the surgery. The fusion will usually take several months to heal and fuse completely, so you may be instructed to wear a brace for correct spine alignment or be put on best rest. Physical therapy may also be necessary.

When Is Spine Surgery Necessary?

Spinal fusion surgery is unnecessary for all patients experiencing back pain, leg pain, or neck pain. In some cases, spinal fusion may worsen or cause unnecessary trauma to the patient.

In general, patients can receive spinal fusion treatment if they have:

• fractured bones in the spine resulting from a car accident
• abnormal curvatures from conditions like scoliosis
• unstable or weak spines due to tumors or infections
• degenerative disc disease
• chronic lower back pain from conditions such as severe arthritis

A professional spine specialist must examine any spine pain, especially after an auto accident. When other treatments are ineffective at pain relief, spinal fusion after an auto accident may be the right choice.

Contact New York Spine Specialist for Spinal Fusion Surgery Treatment

If you have been in an auto accident and injured your spine, it is important to seek medical attention right away. Our New York Spine Specialist experts understand how your back and spine function for the rest of your body and can worsen other medical problems if the spine is injured. Contact us today to find out more about spinal fusion treatment.