There seems to be lots of confusion regarding 360 fusions. Would you please clarify the clinical components that constitute a 360 spinal fusion?
Clinically, a 360o spinal fusion is an anterior and posterior fusion of a vertebra performed during the same operative session. There are two ways to accomplish a 360o fusion. In the conventional one, an incision is made in the patient’s front (abdominal region) to do the anterior fusion, then the patient is flipped over and a second incision is made in the back to do the posterior fusion. The second method is a single incision approach, where both the anterior and posterior faces of the vertebra are reached through one incision. Depending on the patient’s clinical situation, this single incision can be either posterior or transforaminal but not anterior. A 360 spinal fusion requires that both the front and back of the vertebra be fused. Fusion is a “welding” process by which two or more vertebrae are fused together with bone grafts, a bone equivalent, or a bone substitute into a single solid bone. In a 360o fusion, bone or bone substitutes are placed between the vertebrae to promote t
Related Questions
- There seems to be lots of confusion regarding 360 fusions. Would you please clarify the clinical components that constitute a 360 spinal fusion?
- Is galvanic corrosion between titanium alloy and stainless steel spinal implants a clinical concern?
- What roles do the Clinical and Written components each play?
