Lumbar fusion is a procedure used to treat severe arthritis, degenerative disc disease, scoliosis and instability in the low back. When motion with two vertebra (spine bones) becomes painful, we can “spot weld” or fuse the painful bones together so that the painful motion is eliminated. Frequently, we will use screws and rods just as you would with a fractured arm/leg/ankle to hold the vertebra still while they heal together as a single unit.