An incision is made along the midline of the back, only as long as necessary to efficiently insert the implants and decompress the nerve structures. The surgery involves the precise insertion of screws through the vertebral pedicles into the vertebral bodies requiring stabilization and the placement of an implant between the vertebral bodies to maintain proper spacing between them. The screws are inserted under the guidance of visual inspection, tactile feedback, and X-ray imaging to minimize the risk of damage to neural and vascular structures. The screws are connected with rods to provide proper stabilization. The inserted implants act as a scaffold, enabling bone fusion between the vertebrae, which guarantees stability in the operated area.
A specialized version of stabilization is the "percutaneous" procedure. In this type of surgery, each implant is inserted through a separate small incision. This significantly reduces the physical strain on the body (e.g., less bleeding); however, bone fusion is not achieved. Therefore, this type of surgery is reserved for situations where temporary stabilization is needed, such as after a vertebral fracture without nerve structure compression.
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