many people have successful fusions, but years later, they experience the domino effect. When 2 or more vertebral bodies are fused into one, with no mobility that was provided by the discs that have been removed; you run the risk of adjacent segment disease. The adjacent discs are overloaded because of the mechanics of the fused spine and a few years later, the next level needs surgery, then the next...
Note that having a fusion does not guarantee that you'll experience adjacent segment disease and having ADR or other motion preservation surgeries does not guarantee that you won't. If you believe in motion preservation you believe that you SUBSTANTIALLY reduce the risk.
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