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Pseudoarthrosis / Spinal nonunion Surgery in Miami
Pseudarthrosis means that a spinal fusion has not healed into a solid bridge of bone. Some nonuniPeons cause no symptoms, while others lead to persistent back or neck pain, recurrent nerve compression, instability, broken implants, or progressive deformity. Risk factors can include nicotine use, poor bone quality, diabetes, certain medications, infection, and the complexity or number of levels involved in the original fusion.
When the spine remains stable and symptoms are manageable, treatment may include observation, medication, physical therapy, activity modification, bone-health optimization, and smoking or nicotine cessation. A bone-growth stimulator may be appropriate in selected cases. Not every radiographic nonunion requires another operation.
Revision surgery may be considered when pseudarthrosis causes disabling pain, neurological symptoms, instability, deformity, or implant failure. Treatment may involve removing or replacing hardware, adding bone graft or biologic material, improving fixation, decompressing nerves, and revising or extending the fusion. Evaluation also focuses on identifying why the original fusion did not heal so those factors can be addressed.
When to seek urgent evaluation?
New loss of bowel or bladder control, numbness in the groin or saddle region, rapidly worsening weakness, sudden difficulty walking, or symptoms following significant trauma require urgent medical evaluation.
Treatment recommendations are individualized. The appropriate plan depends on the patient’s symptoms, examination, imaging findings, general health, and personal goals.
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