Type of Surgery
Information
Last updated: 11/24/2009
Pain is normal for a few days following surgery, and medication is given regularly to alleviate this problem. The patient will likely have a urinary catheter.
The time required for convalescence after bone grafts due to fractures or spinal fusion...
varies from one to 10 days. Vigorous exercise may be limited for up to three months. Children heal faster than adults.
If a spinal fusion was performed, the patient may be discharged from the hospital with a back brace or cast. The family will be taught how to provide home care for the patient. A splint or cast prevents injury or movement while healing.
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Dental implants have revolutionized the way that dentists replace teeth, but they do require healthy jaw bone in which to anchor. Unfortunately tooth loss causes bone to resorb (atrophy or deteriorate). This video describes the process by which new bone if grafted into the jaw so that dental implants can be installed.
For bone grafting, an incision is made in the donor's hip (A). Pieces of bone are chipped off and removed (B). The bone materials are then transferred to the recipient area, in this case a femur that has been badly broken, to strengthen the bone (C). (Illustration by GGS Inc.)
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Other Information
Bone grafting is a surgical procedure that replaces missing bone with material from the patient's own body, an artificial, synthetic, or natural substitute. Bone grafting is used to repair bone fractures that are extremely complex, pose a significant health risk to the patient, or fail to heal properly.
Other Information
New procedures like minimally invasive procedures are often subject to scrutiny, but I think that one of the biggest problems facing these innovative procedures is for people to understand exactly what we do.
-Dr. Michael Perry, Laser Spine institute
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