Spinal Fusion Costs in Mexico, India, & Spain
Spinal Fusion Cost Package: 6,000 to 13,000 U.S. Dollars
{The Spinal Fusion resurfacing surgery cost covers all the medical & logistics costs at the destination}
Spain [US-Educated & Trained Surgeon]
India [Harvard Medical-Affiliated & USA Joint Commission-Accredited Hospital]
Mexico [World-Class Hospitals]
Spinal fusion is a surgical procedure used to correct problems with the bones, called the vertebrae, of the back, known as the spine. The spine is stabilized by fusing together two or more vertebrae, using bone grafts and metal rods and screws.
If a patient has received injuries to spinal vertebrae or is having some protrusion and degeneration of the cushioning disk between vertebrae (sometimes called slipped disk or herniated disk), then spinal fusion is recommended by the physician.
Additionally, if someone has abnormal curvatures of the spine (such as scoliosis or kyphosis) or a weak/unstable spine caused by infections or tumours, then also spinal fusion is recommended.
Motion between vertebral segments can be a significant source of pain in some patients. Spinal fusion eliminates this pain. The spinal fusion surgery also stops the progress of spinal deformity, such as scoliosis.
Spinal fusion will take away some spinal flexibility. However most spinal fusions involve only small segments of the spine and thus do not limit motion very much.
Spinal Fusion Surgery – Preparing for the Surgery
Patients need to stop taking aspirin and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medicines (NSAIDs), such as ibuprofen and indocin, two weeks before the surgery. Once the NSAIDs are discontinued, a patient may take extra-strength Tylenol for pain relief.
If a patient is on aspirin or Coumadin for a heart condition, they need to contact their doctor for further instructions. If the patient is a smoker, it is important to stop smoking for at least two weeks before the surgery and for six weeks after your surgery. Studies have shown that smoking interferes with the healing of the bone graft.
Most patients are admitted on the morning of surgery. On the day of surgery, patients can bring a list of their routine medications with them to the hospital. Patients should not indulge in any eating or drinking post-midnight on the night before the surgery.
If the patient is admitted in the morning of the surgery, they should not eat any solid foods after 9 p.m. or drink any liquids, even water, after 12 midnight. In addition, there are lots of restrictions (addressed later in this page) on patients undergoing spinal fusion.
Hence it is helpful in the post-operative period if patients take precautions like stocking up on groceries (so it’s not necessary to lift grocery bags, placing frequently used items in the home within easy reach (so no bending is required), and getting some extra help around the house can all help with the recovery process.
Spinal Fusion Surgery
There are many approaches to lumbar spinal fusion surgery, and all involve adding a bone graft to an area of the spine to set up a biological response that causes the bone graft to grow between the two vertebral elements and create a fusion, thereby stopping the motion at that segment. Some of the methods are:
- Posterolateral gutter fusion — done through the back
- Posterior lumbar interbody fusion — removing the disc between two vertebrae and inserting bone into the space created between the two vertebral bodies
- Anterior lumbar interbody fusion — done from the front / includes removing the disc between two vertebrae and inserting bone into the space created between the two vertebral bodies
- Anterior/posterior spinal fusion — done from the front AND the back.
A spinal fusion surgery is designed to stop the motion at a painful vertebral segment, which in turn should decrease pain generated from the joint. Once the patient is in the operating room, they will be given the anaesthesia discussed previously with the anesthesiologist.
The procedure may take from two to 12 hours, depending on how extensive the surgery is and the technique used by the surgeon. Surgery may involve a large incision or may be done using newer techniques with smaller incisions.
Spinal Fusion Surgery — Hospital Stay
Patients can expect to be in the hospital for several days after surgery. Patients will also likely experience considerable pain and discomfort after spinal fusion surgery. Oral and intravenous medications are administered to bring relief from this pain. Depending on the patient's age and condition, it takes from several weeks to several months to heal from this surgery.
Patients are usually taught how to move, sit, stand, and walk in a manner that keeps their spine properly aligned. Sometimes, the patient may be able to start a physical rehabilitation program as early as about four weeks after spinal fusion surgery.
Taking Care After the Spinal Fusion
It takes approximately three months after a spine fusion surgery for the fusion to successfully set up and achieve its initial maturity. Hence during these first three months, patients are advised to avoid activities that may place the bone graft at risk. Activities like lifting, twisting or bending the lower back, or vigorous activities, such as running and other sports, are generally restricted.
Restrictions on activities depend on the type of activities. The more vigorous they are, the longer it may take before the patient is able to return to them. However, even strenuous activities can usually be resumed six months after the spine fusion surgery. Stressing the bone involved in the fusion after three months helps the spine fusion to become stronger.
It is important that when patients decide to go in for spinal fusion, the rehabilitation process must also be worked out and show strong commitment. Rehabilitation is focused on stretching, strengthening and, just as importantly, if not more so, aerobic conditioning.
Spine Fusion Surgery vs Artificial Disc Replacement
Spine fusion works to stop the painful motion of the disc or facet joints, and this procedure stiffens the spine as a matter of necessity. In spinal fusion, if the motion of the lower back is severely limited due to pain preoperatively, overall clinical motion following fusion can be similar or even better than before surgery if the pain is successfully relieved.
The most common complication in spinal fusion is postoperative wound infection, occurring in about 1-5% of cases. The risk of a postoperative infection becomes higher when metallic fixation is used. The risk is also higher in diabetic and overweight patients
In contrast, the artificial disc replacement is designed to leave the disc space mobile to some degree, but it must be clear that it does not replicate normal spinal motion. In fact, each implant design produces different motion patterns. The potential benefits of artificial disc replacement include retained mobility and limiting stress on the adjacent discs.
One of the complications of artificial disc replacement is the possibility of a collapse of the implant into the bone (subsidence), which may limit implant movement. Also, the implant may wear out eventually and require revision or conversion to a fusion. Longer-term (10-20 years following surgery) studies from Europe indicate that wearing out of the artificial disc implant is uncommon.
Low Cost Spinal Fusion in India, Mexico and Spain
For some patients suffering from chronic back pain and related complications in U.S. and U.K., spinal fusion surgery is usually very expensive. In such cases, patients can opt to go for spinal fusion operations in countries like Mexico, India, and Spain.
The cost for spinal fusion abroad comes at a fraction of the costs in the US and UK Medical Tourism Corporation’s network of hospitals that can provide spinal fusion surgery from 6,000 to 13,000.
This package includes hospital stay, lab tests, anesthesia, operation theatre fees, doctors fees, ride to & from the hospital, ride to & from the recovery center, medicines, etc.
