I have pain that is radiating to both my toes.  My doctor says that I have spinal stenosis and that I need a surgery.  He is recommending a fusion and wants to take some of my hip bone to help stabilize my spine.  Isn’t this excessive?  Why doesn’t he just use some screws?

A recent study looked into this very question and found that it is slightly more cost effective to perform a noninstrumented fusion, or a fusion using a person’s own tissue to stabilize the fusion, than an instrumented fusion This cost effectiveness is taking into account the possibility of need for re-surgery, potential complications following surgery like infection, and medication changes.