Back injury Talk - main page
Back Pain Treatment - Minimally invasive option
Back pain patients in Europe have been benefiting from a minimally-invasive device that can relieve the agony. Now, the Wallis system is being tested around the United States.
Lower back pain from degenerative disc disease was making it tough for Nick Walter to enjoy his young family.
He says, "Picking them up, trying to pull them out of the crib, you know, wanting to give them the attention you want to give them, it made it nearly impossible.”
And with two kids under two, he had his hands full.
“I could only hold Nicholas for, you know, three to five minutes without really starting to feel a lot of weakness in the back and pain down the leg and those types of things, it was time to hand him over.”
But these days Nick is feeling much better, thanks to a minimally invasive back surgery with a new implant.
Dr. Michael J. Gratch says, "The intent of the device is to stabilize the spine and using a relatively small incision.”
During surgery, the Wallis device is positioned through a small incision, avoiding the nerves. The plastic implant and tensioning laces restore space around the damaged disc, and ultimately relieve the pain.
Dr. Gratch says the procedure will, “open the disc space up, to take pressure off the disc, but then it also prevents forward bending and backward bending. Now it doesn’t completely prevent it, but it limits those.”
The surgery is primarily done as an outpatient procedure.
Dr. Grach says, "Nick’s case, we were able to do this procedure through a four centimeter, two-inch incision and the depth of the incision was much less and he went home the same day.”
Only time will tell if this is a long-term fix for Nick but in the meantime, he’s enjoying the perks of parenting.
Dr. Gratch says the Wallis device isn’t for everyone with back pain. This study is limited to people between 20 and 60 years of age who have significant lower back pain and have failed conservative treatment, such as physical therapy, anti-inflammatory medicines, and most of all, time. More information on the study can be found at clinicaltrials.gov and at abbottspine.com.
Fast Facts:
Approximately 80 percent of Americans experience back pain at some point in their lives.
A common cause of back pain is disc degeneration, a deterioration of the cushioning discs between the vertebrae.
More than 325,000 spinal fusions were performed in the U.S. in 2003.
Researchers are testing a new device for degenerative disc disease called the Wallis® Mechanical Normalization System. The procedure uses only a tiny incision and doesn’t require spinal fusion.
Supplemental Information
The Spine
The spine is a long, hollow bone that supports the upper body and encases the spinal cord (the network of nerves that serve as the communications conduit between the brain and the rest of the body). A series of stacking bones (vertebrae) is attached to the spinal column, arranged like rungs on a ladder. In between each of the vertebrae is a soft, cushion-like structure, called an intervertebral disc. Each disc has a tough outer layer (called the annulus fibrosus) and a gel-like center (called the nucleous pulposus).
Low Back Pain
Low back pain is a very common problem. The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons estimates 80 percent of adults will experience at least one episode of back pain sometime in their lives.
One cause of pain is degenerative disc disease. A healthy disc is composed of 80 percent water. Over time, water content in the disc decreases. The outer covering may thin, shrink or become more brittle. Small tears can develop in the annulus. This is known as degenerative disc disease. When a disc degenerates, tiny fragments from the covering can break away and press on nearby spinal nerve roots. Sometimes the gel-like contents push through and leak into the vertebral space, pressing against the nerve roots. In addition, as the disc shrinks, there is less space between the affected vertebrae, compressing the spine and placing pressure on the spinal nerves. Patients may experience varying degrees of low back pain. The pain is generally worse when sitting or with certain types of activities (like bending or lifting). Some patients may also experience leg pain, numbness and tingling.
Treating Pain from Degenerative Disc Disease
There are several different types of treatment for low back pain caused by degenerative disc disease. Initially, doctors will try conservative therapy, like limited bed rest, pain medications, prescribed exercise and physical therapy. Some patients use acupuncture or chiropractic manipulation to relieve pain symptoms.
If the pain is severe or persistent, surgery may be recommended. Generally, surgery revolves around removal of the diseased portion of the disc. To maintain stability in the spine (i.e., keep the vertebrae apart), spinal fusion may be necessary. Surgeons use tiny screws, rods and other metal devices to hold the vertebrae in place. Then, grafts of bone or bone fragments are placed into the area. When the bone grafts heal, they fuse the two affected vertebrae into one unit, eliminating motion that could put pressure on the spinal nerves.
In 2003, more than 325,000 spinal fusions were performed in the U.S. The procedure may be performed through the front or back of the body.
The Wallis® Mechanical Normalization System
Researchers are testing a new type of device for patients with degenerative disc disease, called the Wallis® Mechanical Normalization System. The WALLIS device is a spacer that looks like a backpack latch. It is placed into the space between the two affected vertebrae and held there with woven Dacron bands wrapped around the bones on the spine. The spacer props up the vertebrae and stabilizes that area of the spine without the need for screws, rods, bone grafts or fusion.
Surgeons only need to make a tiny incision into the spine to place the WALLIS device. And since fusion isn’t necessary, there is less pain after the surgery and recovery time is quick.
The WALLIS Mechanical Normalization System is currently in clinical trials to investigate the safety and effectiveness of the device. In the study, 67 percent of the participants will receive the device and 33 percent will receive a non-surgical, conservative treatment of medication, physical therapy and spinal injections. Doctors say use of the WALLIS device may actually limit further
Source: WOWT.com