Q. My doctor has suggested that I have a spine fusion surgery using a metal plate in my back. What are the chances that my body will reject the metal plate?

A. . The human body rarely rejects metals that are used in surgical implants. Most metal implants used in spine fusions are made of either stainless steel or titanium. Alloys are another type of metal that may be used in a fusion surgery. An alloy is a mixture of several metals such as cobalt, chrome, and nickel. A good rule of thumb is if you can wear a watch or jewelry without problems, you are not likely to reject a surgical implant. Sometimes implants and have to be removed because of an infection, but this does not mean that your body has rejected the implant.