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Anterior Lumbar Interbody Fusion

Anterior Lumbar Interbody Fusion services offered in Jacksonville, Gainesville, Lake Worth, Pensacola, Tallahassee and PANAMA CITY, FL, Brunswick, Savannah and Pooler, GA and Bluffton, Greenville and North Charleston, SC

An anterior lumbar interbody fusion (ALIF) is a surgical procedure that eases low back pain caused by spine movement. The orthopedic spine surgeons at Medicus Spine & Joint in Brunswick, Georgia; Mount Pleasant and Bluffton, South Carolina; and Gainesville and Jacksonville, Florida, perform ALIF to treat this type of back pain. Call or schedule a consultation at the office nearest you online today. 

Anterior Lumbar Interbody Fusion Q & A

What is anterior lumbar interbody fusion?

Anterior lumbar interbody fusion (ALIF) is a type of spinal fusion procedure. Spinal fusion involves joining two or more vertebral bones together to stop painful movements.

For an ALIF, the orthopedic spine surgeons at Medicus Spine & Joint access the lower part of your spine (lumbar spine) from the front of your body (anterior), remove an intervertebral disk (interbody), then fuse the bones together.

When performing spine surgery, the surgeons use minimally invasive tools and techniques to reduce incision size, post-surgical pain, and recovery time.

Am I a candidate for anterior lumbar interbody fusion?

Your orthopedic spine surgeon at Medicus Spine & Joint determines if you’re a candidate for ALIF after a spine surgery consultation. Your surgeon may consider you a candidate for the procedure if you have low back pain from excessive motion of the spine.

You can develop this type of pain from arthritis, a herniated disk, or degenerative disk disease (DDD). They may also perform the procedure if your pain is from trauma or a fracture to the spine.

In addition to your back pain, the team also considers your overall health when deciding what type of treatment makes the best choice for you. They talk to you about your condition, treatment options, and expected outcomes.

Together, you decide whether ALIF is the best choice. 

What happens during anterior lumbar interbody fusion?

ALIF is a serious surgical procedure your surgeon performs using general anesthesia, so you’re asleep during the surgery. While you lie on your back, your surgeon makes a small incision through your abdomen to gain access to your spine.

They remove the damaged intervertebral disk and improve spacing in the spine, making more room for your spinal nerves to reduce the risk of further pain. Your surgeon places a spacer between the adjoining vertebral bones, which contains the bone grafting material that fuses the bones.

What happens after anterior lumbar interbody fusion?

You may spend a few nights at the hospital following your ALIF. Your provider encourages you to stand and walk on the day of your surgery and has you start physical therapy before you go home.

Medicus Spine & Joint gives you specific instructions for activities and exercises when you go home to support the healing process. You should notice improvements in your back pain within a few weeks or months following your ALIF.

Call Medicus Spine & Joint or schedule your spine surgery consultation online today.