How long will the incision (cut) be, and what should I expect in terms of scarring after my spinal fusion surgery?
The length and location of the incision depends on the nature and severity of your curve. Your doctor can show you the length of the incision and the location on your body where he expects the incision to be. During your spinal fusion surgery, your doctor will place all your stitches underneath your skin to make the incision less noticeable and eliminate the need to remove your stitches. Most young, healthy patients will heal without any problems and their incision will eventually only appear as a long, thin scar. Once your doctor feels your wound is healing well, you may begin using certain creams or lotions that are believed to help decrease the amount of scarring. If you decide to use any creams or lotions, you should discuss this with your doctor. Finally, once your incision heals it is important to use a high SPF sunscreen on your incision and the skin around it to help prevent your scar from becoming more noticeable, especially during first year after your spinal fusion surgery.
