They get cages, screws and rods implanted in the spine, despite studies that show fusion is not very effective for lower back pain.

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Medtronic 's ( MDT - news - people ) spine surgery business is dominated by a procedure called spinal fusion, in which two of the segments of the backbone, called vertebrae, are fused together using metal rods and cages, bone taken from elsewhere in the body, and protein drugs that stimulate bone growth.

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It is used instead of taking bone from the hip in spinal fusion surgeries in which extra bone is added to the spine to fuse parts of the back together, stabilizing it.

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