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What is lumbar spinal stenosis?

BOBÌåÓý Pain Medicine and the BOBÌåÓý Comprehensive Spine Center work together to care for back-related issues. One of these conditions is spinal stenosis. Stenosis is a narrowing of the spine. It is caused by degenerative changes in the column associated with aging.

The different types of spinal stenosis are classified by the region of the spine that’s affected:

• Cervical stenosis
• Lumbar stenosis
• Thoracic stenosis

Lumbar spinal stenosis is the most common.

BOBÌåÓý Pain Medicine offers Vertiflex® treatment. Vertiflex® treatment helps alleviate any pain or discomfort related to spinal stenosis.

How can Vertiflex^® alleviate pain from spinal stenosis?

• The Vertiflex® procedure uses a minimally invasive spacer implant. The small device is called the Vertiflex® Superion®.
• The implant provides pain relief associated with lumbar spinal stenosis.
• The Vertiflex Superion® is implanted through a small incision using a tiny tube. This minimizes tissue damage and blood loss.
• The implant is a reversible procedure that does not alter your anatomy. The structure of the spine will not be destabilized by the Vertiflex® Superion®. This enables you to pursue other treatments in the future if needed.
• The device is available in multiple sizes based on individual anatomy.
• Most patients can be discharged the same day and recover rapidly. They often do not need to undergo rehabilitation or physical therapy.

What are the benefits of the Vertiflex implant?

Vertiflex® conducted a large clinical study with 470 patients at 29 sites. The FDA approved this device to treat after a clinical trial. The study demonstrated the safety and effectiveness of the Superion® device:

• Patients were surveyed 60 months following surgery. Of the patients that responded, 90% expressed overall satisfaction and pain relief with the Vertiflex® procedure.
• Minimally-invasive outpatient procedure, meaning patients can go home the same day in most cases.
• Pain relief for those suffering chronic pain associated with spinal stenosis

How does Vertiflex work?

• A small titanium implant is folded. The implant is placed in a small tube (roughly the size of a dime). The tube is inserted between two vertebrae via a small incision.
• The implant arms open around the spinous process of the lumbar spine to lock the device into place.
• The implant creates and maintains a space for nerves in the spinal canal. This relieves spinal stenosis pain.

Who is eligible for the implant?

Those who have:

• Leg, buttock, and groin pain
• Numbness, weakness, cramping, or stiffness in the legs or buttocks
• Difficulty walking or standing but relief in the seated or flexed position

Risks and restrictions of Vertiflex

• Your incision site wounds usually involves a few stitches or staples. You will need to care for the wounds by keeping them clean and dry until you have your first follow-up visit. That visit is usually one to two weeks after the procedure.
• You will need to minimize lifting, bending, and other strenuous activities for about 6 weeks.
• As with any surgical procedure, there is a risk for blood loss, infection, damage to nerve roots or the spinal cord, or other complications.