Posterior Lumbar Decompression & Fusion Surgery

Back pain, of any kind, can prevent you from accomplishing daily tasks or activities you enjoy. When you experience pressure on your spinal cord and nerves in your lower back, it can cause debilitating pain and immobility. Fortunately, this condition can be treated with surgical measures.

At Barrington Orthopedic Specialists, our highly-trained, certified specialists can perform posterior lumbar decompression and fusion (PLIF) surgery, a procedure that fuses two of your vertebrae with implants and bone graft material. The goal of the surgery is to stabilize your spine and treat pain in your spine caused by degenerative diseases. Our team will work alongside you during your surgery and provide you with rehabilitative advice to ensure a quick and healthy recovery so you can get back to the activities you love.

If you have sustained a back injury, do not allow your condition to worsen. Schedule your first consultation with the team at Barrington Orthopedic Specialists today. If you’re in an emergency situation, visit the Immediate Care Clinic at our Schaumburg, IL location.

What Is Posterior Lumbar Decompression & Fusion

Posterior lumbar decompression and fusion (PLDF) is a surgical procedure that aims to relieve pain and pressure on the spinal cord and the nerves in the lower back. The lower back is made up of the lumbar spine, where the spine curves inward toward the abdomen. It consists of the five vertebrae, L1-L5. They end in the sacral region, which connects the lumbar spine with the tailbone. Because they bear the most weight, the lowest two vertebrae in the lumbar spine, L4 and L5, are most prone to degradation and injury and are the most often fused.

There are two major parts of this spinal fusion. The first being the bony portion of the fusion. This consists of a combination of bone from the bone bank and local bone from the area of the spinal decompression. In a majority of cases, Doctors do not take a bone graft from the patient’s iliac crest (hip area), which means you will not have a separate incision. Bone growth is stimulated and then the grafts are put into place. This fuses the vertebrae and stops the painful movement in the area. The second component of the fusion is the instrumentation. The instrumentation may be rods and screws and/or a cage that is placed between the vertebrae.