Fusion vs. Replacement

Fusion and replacement are two different approaches to medical treatment, especially in procedures like spine surgery. Fusion involves joining two or more bones together to eliminate movement at that joint, providing stability and reducing pain—think of permanently gluing parts together. Replacement, on the other hand, involves removing a damaged joint or part and installing an artificial one or device that maintains movement—similar to replacing a worn-out part with a new, functioning component. Fusion aims for stability at the expense of motion, while replacement seeks to preserve or restore natural movement.