Bone graft harvest

Spinal surgery is sometimes performed to remove a herniated disc. If more than one disc is removed the spine can become unstable, and a procedure to fuse the spine together is needed. The spine can be fused with with bone and plates, rods, or special metal cages. The bone may be taken from the patient's body from either the hip or the lower leg.

Review Date: 07/29/2008
Reviewed By: Thomas N. Joseph, MD, Private Practice specializing in Orthopaedics, subspecialty Foot and Ankle, Camden Bone & Joint, Camden, SC. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.