What happens after C5 c7 fusion?

After surgery, you can expect your neck to feel stiff and sore. This should improve in the weeks after surgery. You may have trouble sitting or standing in one position for very long and may need pain medicine in the weeks after your surgery. You may need to wear a neck brace for a while.

What are the side effects of spine fusion?

Risks

• Infection.
• Poor wound healing.
• Bleeding.
• Blood clots.
• Injury to blood vessels or nerves in and around the spine.
• Pain at the site from which the bone graft is taken.

Can C5 C6 cause leg weakness?

An injury to the spinal cord at the C5-C6 level may cause pain, weakness, or paralysis in the arms and/or legs. There may be loss of bowel and bladder control or breathing problems in some cases.

What are some complications that can occur when injuring the T5 and T6 vertebrae?

The T5 and T6 vertebrae pain symptoms include digestion problems such as ulcers and heartburn. While T7 pain symptoms also include digestive ailments, the T7 and T8 vertebrae injury symptoms include fatigue, anemia, circulatory weakness, weakened immune system, and low blood, among others.

What happens when the vertebrae adjacent to fusion joints weaken?

If the vertebrae adjacent to the fusion level—both the disc and facet joints—weaken enough as a result of excessive mechanical load, the spine may start to curve or rotate. (It’s possible for this to occur on two or even three adjacent levels.)

What happens if you have a fused vertebrae?

This occurs when part of the hardware breaks or slips and then impinges on the spinal cord or spinal roots. Another problem is that the bones above and below the vertebrae that were fused can cause pain. Other problems such as blood clots and deep vein thrombosis can be painful and deadly if they migrate to the brain or lungs.

What are the risks of spinal fusion?

Spinal fusion, like any surgery, carries the risk of certain complications, such as: Spinal fusion also carries the risk of the following rare complications: Physical activity too soon after surgery can result in pseudarthrosis (a bone fracture), which may prompt a second surgery.

What percentage of spinal fusion patients develop adjacent segment disease?

But about 30 to 40 percent of fusion patients will develop adjacent segment disease, a condition that frequently requires additional surgical treatment. The weakening and instability caused by adjacent segment degeneration may eventually bring on spinal stenosis.