ABSTRACT
The diagnosis and management of bone nonunion or pseudarthrosis (‘‘false joint’’) following attempted surgical fusion in the spine can be troublesome. Labeling a patient as having a failed surgical fusion attempt is painful for both the operating surgeon and the patient, as this diagnosis carries with it the understanding that further therapies may be in order. The patient is often confused about the diagnosis and may doubt the surgeon’s skills. Patients want to know what went wrong, and extra efforts are required on the part of the surgeon to explain the possible causative factors and subsequent treatment options.
