Local Surgeon first in Northeastern, PA to use Novel, Minimally Invasive Approach to Treat Lumbar Spinal Stenosis

New Approach Offers Many Patients Fast Relief from Symptoms

Mark S. Williams, D.O. Orthopaedic Surgeon, of Susquehanna Valley Medical Specialties located at 6850 Lows Road in Bloomsburg, recently became the first surgeon in the region to perform a new minimally invasive surgery for the treatment of symptoms due to lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS). LSS is a common spinal problem suffered mainly by  people over 50, and is often associated with leg, buttock, groin and some times back pain.

This procedure was done at the Berwick Hospital Center, and the new approach involves implanting an X-Stop device during a minimally invasive outpatient procedure that takes about 30-45 minutes. The procedure has a low complication rate, and has been clinically proven to relieve the symptoms of LSS.

Because standing upright provokes LSS symptoms, the X-Stop implant is designed to limit the extension of the lumbar spine and keep the canal open.

“A good candidate for the X-Stop procedure is someone aged 50 or older whose physical function is moderately impaired and who experiences relief from pain when bending forward.” said Williams.

The X-STOP IPD procedure involves implanting an X-STOP IPD device (a titanium alloy implant) in a minimally invasive, reversible procedure that can be done through the outpatient surgery departments at The Berwick Hospital Center or the Bloomsburg Hospital and will soon be available at the Susquehanna Surgery Center.

The X-Stop device underwent extensive clinical study and is the first device of it’s kind approved in the U.S. to treat the symptoms of LSS.

“This new procedure fills the gap in the continuum of care that, until now, required my patients to make the leap from conservative therapies, such as pain management medications and physical therapy, straight to invasive surgery such as a laminectomy,” states Williams.

A laminectomy involves removing parts of the bone and tissue that are narrowing the spinal canal. It is an open and more invasive surgical procedure that requires more extensive anesthesia and operative times, which due to age and other co-morbidities, may be contraindicated in some of our elderly patients.

Patient benefits of the X-STOP IPD include:

◦ Minimally invasive surgical procedure

◦ Does not require Hospital Admission; can be done under minimal anesthesia in an outpatient setting

◦ Typically no bone or soft tissue removal

◦ The implant is removable and does not prevent a patient from undergoing surgery at a later time.

◦ Quick recovery time

LSS is on the rise due to the aging American population which has increased 46% since 1997.

In fact , LSS is the most common cause of back surgery in people over the age of 50. Until the X-stop IPD procedure, LSS patients have not had a minimally invasive treatment available for relieving the symptoms associated with the disease.

Patients receiving the X-STOP implant should have already been under a doctor’s care, received non-surgical treatment for their symptoms for at least six months and operative treatment is indicated at no more than 2 levels.

For more information about LSS and the X-STOP device visit http://svmedspec.com or  http://www.kyphon.com. The X-STOP IPD procedure is marketed by Kyphon Inc. You can also call  Dr. Williams' office at 570-784-7300 for further information.