What Happens Over Time with a Spinal Fusion?

Question: I contracted polio at 10 months of age in 1954. At the age of 13 in 1966, my scoliosis had progressed to where my “S”-shaped spine was fused from the base of my neck to the bottom of my spine. My back has been solid and pain-free (except for several brief times when some areas became sore and healed within a few days). For the past couple of months, I have experienced some brief pain and have heard and felt a small pop or crack with slight pain when lying down and straightening out at night and when getting up in the morning. I spend the entire day in my power wheelchair, which I have used since 1994. My question is, what happens over time with a fused back? Does the fusion eventually wear out? I have fears of my spine breaking and instant death. Are these irrational fears?

Marny Eulberg, MD: From your submission, if my calculations are correct, you are around 70 years old. I certainly don’t have extensive experience caring for persons who had a total or near total spinal fusion. Even though that type of surgery was done for severe scoliosis, more common are fusions of just a few vertebrae that were/are done for people with pinched nerves in various parts of the spine (many of who are not polio survivors).

Given the age you were when you had the spinal fusion, I am assuming that you most likely had a “posterior” spinal fusion in which just the posterior (back) part of the vertebrae was fused. As far as you know, were any rods implanted along the side of the spine (frequently called Harrington rods)? It certainly is possible for some of the hardware (rods, screws, etc.) to break or come loose—usually after a fall or some significant injury such as a car accident but can rarely be caused by repeated wear and tear or seemingly for no reason at all or only a minor injury.

Post-Polio Health (Vol. 40, No. 1, Winter 2024)