Welcome! We invite you to experience the Forest Health Medical Center difference!

FHMC is different from either a general medical hospital or a large university medical center. We provide you with specialty surgery and personal care by the best specialty surgeons and staff.

Just like the major medical centers we have the latest modern equipment and facilities, but that is not what makes us different. The personal care you will receive is unlike the typical impersonal healthcare offered in most large university medical centers. At FHMC we are committed to caring for you as our family.

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Neurosurgery

Posterior lumbar interbody fusion (PLIF)

Posterior lumbar interbody fusion is a type of spinal fusion used in the low back to stabilize the vertebra and disc between the vertebras. The surgeon uses a posterior (from the back) approach for this surgery. A bone graft (bone from the pelvis or a metal graft), is placed between the two vertebras. As the bone graft heals and fuses with the vertebra above and below it, one long bone is formed. This eliminates movement between the bones (vertebra) reducing nerve irritation and pain. TLIF surgery may be recommended for conditions such as spondylolisthesis, degenerative disc disease or herniated disc.

A minimally invasive procedure is used for this surgery to reduce the size of the incisions and recovery time.