During this procedure, the surgeon permanently joins two or more vertebrae in the spine. The vertebrae will grow together to form a single, solid bone. Spinal fusion is commonly performed in the neck and lower back, and may be used to correct a wide range of problems in the spine. This animation shows a fusion in the lumbar spine to correct a condition called spondylolisthesis, in which weakened joints or fractured bones have allowed a vertebra to slip forward and pinch a nerve root.
