Doctors at Northwestern Memorial are studying next generation surgery for back pain...( a simple design with only two moving p...),Health

Fusion, the current standard of care, is performed more than 200,000 times in the United States each year. "The reason we're looking for alternatives to fusion is that, while fusing two or more vertebrae in the spine together can eliminate pain, it does have drawbacks," explains Dr. Mirkovic. "The bone does not always heal or fuse correctly, and the recovery and rehabilitation periods are prolonged. The theory behind replacing the disc rather than using spinal fusion is that we may be able to preserve range of motion and decrease wear and tear at adjacent levels by distributing stress through the lower back."

As with fusion, the diseased disc is removed. Then, rather than fusing the surrounding vertebrae together, the Maverick artificial disc is inserted in its place. A calcium-rich substance anchors it in place. "The recovery may be quicker because we don't have to immobilize the lower back and wait for the bones to fully fuse as we do with fusion," explains co-investigator Matthew Hepler, M.D., an orthopedic surgeon at Northwestern Memorial and assistant professor at the Feinberg School of Medicine.

Discs are gel-like cushions between vertebrae that absorb shock and act like ball bearings when people bend and twist. Degenerative disc disease is part of the natural process of growing older. As people age, their intervertebral discs lose their flexibility, elasticity and shock absorbing characteristics. It is a common problem for athletes, but can affect anyone.

The Maverick artificial disc is an investigational device and is limited by federal law to investigational use. The research study will compare the outcomes of participants who receive an artificial disc with those of participants who have lumbar fusion. About two-thirds of study participants will receive the artifi
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Contact: Amanda Widtfeldt
awidtfel@nmh.org
3129262955
Northwestern Memorial Hospital
12-Jan-2004