Are certain spine bones always fused in a spinal fusion surgery?
Because the size and location of curves vary, the location and number of vertebrae fused during the surgery depend on the nature and severity of the curve. Most individuals have 24 vertebrae between their skull and their pelvis (hips). Most procedures for adolescent idiopathic scoliosis will fuse between 10 and 12 of these bones. Fortunately, in most cases, the majority of the fusion occurs in the thoracic spine which has little motion to begin with since these bones are partially held in place by the rib cage.
