It CAN be, but most doctors would remove it only if absolutely necessary. It's probably pretty irabedded by now, so it would require some wrenching to get out, but it can be done.
May I ask why? Is it causing you pain? Has it seemed to loosen?
Yes it can, but from what I understand they have to go through a lot of scar tissue and muscle to get it - which can cause new problems. I thought last year that I might be headed for lurabar hardware removal but the symptoms I was having turned out to be facet arthritis at the level above my fusion.
The key is to make sure that you are 100% solid fused and the best way to do this is to undergo a CT scan Mylegram. If you are not completely fused, things can become unstable.
