Olympia Medical Center Los Angeles Patient Freed Of Sciatic Pain After 8 Years

Online, February 17, 2011 (Newswire.com) - Neurosurgeon Carl Lauryssen, MD, recognized as one of the world's leading Spine Care and Research pioneers, has utilized advanced technology from Vertiflex to perform the first implant in Los Angeles at Olympia Medical Center. The device is designed to treat patients with Spinal stenosis, which is the degenerative narrowing of the spaces in the spine that can lead to spinal cord and/or nerve root compression. It is believed to be the cause of leg and back pain for nearly 1.2 million Americans.

This novel device is a possible alternative to traditional spinal surgery that can potentially act as a support column to open the passageways through which the nerve roots travel from the lumbar spine to the legs. The device is specifically designed to relieve leg, buttock and groin pain resulting from pressure that can be placed on the spinal nerve roots from walking or standing for long periods.

Stephanie M., received the implant a year ago. "I was told I would have a very small scar on my back," she says, "and that is all I have... and it's getting smaller every day. There hasn't been any problem with my sciatic since I walked out of the hospital a year ago. I haven't had any pain. I can now do everything I couldn't do before.-- walking, hiking, canoeing, bicycling --everything!"

Chronic pain in the lower back region along with the radiating leg pain that often accompanies it is typically treated with physical therapy and other noninvasive therapies. When such treatments no longer provide relief patients may be offered a surgical procedure called spinal decompression which involves the removal of the bone and soft tissue pressing on the nerve roots.

"It took me 8 years to find out about Dr. Lauryssen and the Vertiflex clinical trial," says Stephanie. "During those 8 years, a simple task like walking down the hall would cause me to almost collapse from the pain. I tried to get the pain to stop by using ice and exercise, chiropractor visits, and acupuncture, which was to no avail."

Spinal decompression can involve a large incision, may result in a relatively lengthy recovery period compared to treatment with SuperionTM ISS and may be performed concurrently with a spinal fusion procedure. The intent of Superion TM ISS is to provide patients with a minimally invasive surgical technique performed through a single, half-inch skin incision that is designed to stabilize the affected level(s) while allowing the patient to move without significant restriction.

"I would suggest that people who have a similar problem find a doctor who does this procedure or contact Dr. Lauryssen and find out if they are a candidate for this surgery," adds Stephanie."

"SuperionTM ISS represents a significant advancement in the evolution of minimally invasive spine surgery," Dr. Lauryssen said. "With SuperionTM ISS I am able to offer patients suffering from moderate spinal stenosis an option that has the potential to relieve their chronic leg pain while preserving their natural anatomy. Due to the small incision and straightforward surgical technique for implanting SuperionTM ISS, I expect my patients to be on their feet shortly after the surgery."

VertiFlex® looks forward to demonstrating beneficial patient outcomes in the clinical research
study so that SuperionTM ISS may soon be offered to the general public."