Introduction
Physical Therapy in Hazle Township for Lower Back
Welcome to FYZICAL Hazleton's patient resource about Posterior Lumbar Interbody Fusion.
Posterior lumbar interbody fusion (PLIF) is a procedure used to treat problems
such as disc degeneration, disc herniation, and spine instability. In this procedure, the
surgeon works on the spine from the back (the posterior) and removes a spinal disc
in the lower (lumbar) spine. The surgeon inserts bone graft material into the
space between the two vertebrae where the disc was removed (the interbody space).
The graft may be held in place with a special fusion cage. The goal of the procedure is
to stimulate the vertebrae to grow together into one solid bone (known as a
fusion). A fusion creates a rigid and immovable column of bone in the problem section
of the spine.
This guide will help you understand:
- what surgeons hope to achieve
- what happens during surgery
- what to expect as you recover