“Explain spinal fusion?”

The surgeon took out the disc material and bone spurs. Place a piece of bone in between the spines. She should be able to move her neck but that part cannot move. The rest of the spines will compensate.

This means you remove the disc between the end plates of two adjacent vertebrae, mostly done to remove a herniated disc impinging on the spinal cord or nerves, or to remove a bone spur causing the same compression. Once done, the motion on that segment and any other fused segment is lost, but only to those segments; typically, you lose 5-7% of flexion/extension thru these segments. The rest of the segments function normally, but now bear more of the physical stress caused by motion as the levels above and below the fusion immediately now undergo more strain and hence, theoretically, can undergo faster degenerative processes. This will not impact rotation of the neck, though.

It's done to stabilize the spine to protect the spinal cord from being injured in case of significant degenerative disc disease.

Correct, neck has 7 vertebrae, if 2 are fused, then she's down to only 6, 5 of them regular size and one is double height, they don't move anymore.

No

There are many types of spinal fusion surgeries performed for many different reasons. A spinal fusion on the neck can be performed either on the front of the spine, the back of the spine, or both. Fusion means that a degenerated and diseased portion of the patient's disc is removed and replaced with a titanium or plastic cage filled with artificial bone. Sometimes patient's own bone can be used to replace the degenerated disc. This cage is then sometimes backed up with a titanium plate or screws and rods to immobilize the unstable segment and increase the chances that bone fusion will take place.

While it is true that a fusion surgery immobilizes that particular level of the spine, 75% of neck movement comes only from the first two upper levels of the neck vertebra. These levels are very rarely fused in typical degenerative spine conditions. Patients rarely notice any difference in the range of motion of their neck after neck fusion from the front and, in fact, typically experience improved neck movement because the restrictive, painful stimulus has been removed. Complete inability to move your neck only comes with what is called "occipital - cervical" fusions which require fusion of the first upper two vertebra to the base of the skull. These operations are only performed in rare situation from traumatic fractures and/or instability at that level.

Of note, it is critical that your surgeon understands the spinal biomechanics when performing any spinal fusion surgery. The biggest benefit of fusion only comes if the spine is fused in the proper alignment. Correct cage size with proper amount of angulation must be used, sometimes combined with specialized compressive techniques to either maintain the natural alignment of the spine, or to restore this alignment in patients who have degenerative changes that already caused neck deformity.

Spine fusion typically involves "fusing" two or more vertebra in the spine (neck or back) together using bone graft and spinal instrumentation (rods and screws etc). Often times, patients who improve clinically "gain" range of motion as they rehabilitate and regain their ability to perform tasks that they were unable to perform before their fusion, however depending on the range and extent of a fusion, some loss of motion in the operated spine may be an outcome of such surgery.

A spinal fusion means that 2 bones are fused together. This can be done a number of different ways either by approaching from the front of the spine and removing the disc material between the 2 bones and replacing it with a graft of bone or artificial material and oftentimes anchoring this with various types of hardware. This includes plates and screws. Other fusions are done by opening the back of the spine and placing screws and rods or clamps, plates and or wires and cables and roughing up the posterior aspects of the bones to be joint and placing bone grafting material so that the bone will grow together. Often times these are done in combination. The parts of the spine that are fused when they are successfully fused do not move however be parts of the spine above and below the levels that are fused will still move. Most people don't notice significant change in her movement if only 2 bones are fused together however as more bones are fused together loss of movement may be noticed by the patient.

The cervical spine is made up of 7 bones called vertebrae (C1 to C7). Each one is responsible for a few degrees of neck motion (flexion, extension and rotation). Depending on the number of levels fused and which levels are fused, you will get some limitations in neck movement. For most people, when 2 to 4 levels are fused in the lower neck vertebrae (C3 to C7), the lost motion at those segments is not limiting to their ability to move the neck. In some cases, it is not very noticeable.
However, fusing the top vertebrae (C1 and C2), a patient loses over half of their neck rotation component

Usually fusion follows another type of surgery like laminectomy or discectomy where the normal ligaments that stabilize the spine have been weakened. It may also be the primary operation for someone whose verterbral bodies of the spine is slipping off the primary axis. Spondylolisthesis.
Yes, it does mean that that particular vertebral body will no longer articulate with the one it is fused with but there are 7 vertebral, 12 thoracic and 5 lumbar vertebrae, so there are other points from which she will still be able to twist or bend around.

A spinal fusion immobilizes segment(s) of the spine. This can be done with or without screws and/or plates in the neck. It does mean that she can't move that part of her neck, but she still should have adequate range of motion which would allow her to do normal activities of daily living.

The adjacent bones of the vertebra have been connected together with a cage and screws. It means that spinal level has had the disc removed and that the movement at that level (usually C5/6 or C6/7) is gone. There are options now for disc replacements which mean you do not lose movement in that spinal level.

Yi Yuen

Yes

Dear Sir,
Exactly, she can't move that part of her cervical spine anymore.
Thank you.
Best wishes.
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Spinal fusion is the bridging of two adjoining vertebral parts that are joined by a joint. Hince rendering The articulating joint immobile and fixated, therefore preventing motion. As far as the neck is concerned if the fusion is done at one level or two level , that should not affect the overall movement of the neck but that segment that is fused is immobile.