📌 Schedule a consultation or second opinion with Dr. Kibuule's team at https://www.myposhcare.com/

If you have been told you need a spinal fusion, you are probably asking one question. Is this really necessary? Three spine surgeons can look at the exact same MRI and not all recommend the same operation, and that gap is exactly what this episode clears up.

In this episode, I'm going to show you when I would not recommend a fusion, when a smaller operation may be enough, and the specific findings that make me say a spine really does need to be stabilized.

⏱️ TIMESTAMPS
0:00 Spine Surgeon Reveals: When You DON’T Need a Spinal Fusion
0:45 Why sciatica does not automatically mean fusion
1:43 When a microdiscectomy is enough instead
2:44 Spinal stenosis without instability
4:19 When fusion becomes the right answer
5:32 Spondylolisthesis explained
6:20 Degenerative disc disease and MRI fear
7:59 Questions to ask before agreeing to fusion
8:28 The real line between smaller surgery and fusion

❓ QUESTIONS ANSWERED

Does a herniated disc always require spinal fusion?
No. If the disc is pressing on a nerve but the spinal level is otherwise stable, a microdiscectomy that removes just the problem piece is often enough.

Does spondylolisthesis always mean I need a fusion?
Not automatically. The decision depends on whether the vertebra is actually moving abnormally and whether decompressing the nerve would leave that level unstable.

What question should I ask a surgeon before agreeing to a fusion?
Ask exactly what the fusion is supposed to fix and whether the same problem can be solved without it. A clear, specific answer about instability is what you want to hear, not a vague comment about the MRI looking bad.

📱 RESOURCES
Website: https://www.myposhcare.com/
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IG: https://www.instagram.com/drleonardkibuule
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/premier-orthopedics-spine-health/

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ABOUT DR. LEONARD KIBUULE
Dr. Leonard Kibuule, MD, MBA, FAAOS, is a board certified orthopedic spine surgeon in Houston, Texas, specializing in the diagnosis and treatment of cervical, thoracic, and lumbar spine disorders. He is fellowship trained in spine surgery and a Fellow of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. Dr. Kibuule considers himself a spine specialist first and a surgeon second. His job is not to find an operation for every patient, it is to determine what is actually causing the problem and identify the most effective way to restore function and quality of life. He has trained hundreds of surgeons in minimally invasive spine techniques and leads Premier Orthopedics & Spine Health, where care is built around thoughtful, individualized decision making rather than one size fits all treatment.

#HerniatedDisc #Sciatica #SpineSurgeon #BackPainRelief #SpineHealth