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Patient Information Resources

Long Island Spine Specialists, P.C.
763 Larkfield Road
2nd Floor
Commack, NY 11725
Ph: (631) 462-2225
Fax: (631) 462-2240

INFORMATION ABOUT:

Child Orthopedics

General

Pain Management

Spine - Cervical

Spine - General

Spine - Lumbar

Spine - Thoracic

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After a spinal fusion at two levels in my low back, the X-rays show it wasn't successful. There's still motion at one level. I'm not having any symptoms. Should I still have another operation to fuse it again?
Maybe not. Some research has shown X-rays aren't entirely accurate in showing pseudoarthrosis. Pseudoarthrosis refers to a "false joint" where the motion is taking place. Patients with pseudoarthrosis on X-ray don't always show any actual loss of stability when the doctor opens up the spine to repeat the fusion. If you aren't having any symptoms, you may want to adopt a "wait-and-see" approach. See your doctor at regular intervals, and see what happens in six months to two year's time. You can always have that second operation, but waiting is a good option if it turns out you don't really need it.
References:

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