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Spinal fusion has been the standard surgical care for numerous spineconditions such as scoliosis, degenerative disc disease, instability of thespine or spinal fractures. Unlike spinal fusion, which achieves pain reliefthrough immobilization, artificial discs maintain motion at the operativelevel once the damaged disc has been removed. Furthermore, artificial discreplacements provide a more rapid return to activity than fusion surgery,which requires time for the bone graft to grow into a solid mass forstabilization.
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One such motion preservation trial involving patients with degenerativedisc disease of the cervical spine, commonly known as a herniated, ruptured orslipped disc, involves the replacement of the diseased disc with an artificialdisc. In a special case that qualified for treatment within the study, Dr.Nunley conducted a two-level replacement -- a procedure that replaces twodamaged discs sitting atop one another -- the first ever in the state ofLouisiana. The beneficiary of this investigational procedure is Darrel Betha,a 46-year-old hurricane Katrina evacuee who had been suffering from neck andarm pain since 2004 following a work-place accident, and is now living painfree.
"At one point in time, I couldn't lift my right arm without pain andnumbness in my arm, neck, shoulder and back," said Darrell Betha. "Now, Idon't feel the pain."
Betha, a welder of twelve years prior to suffering an injury on the job in2004 and has been out of work since, is looking forward to a speedy recoveryand a return to work.
"Motion preservation procedures provide patients with an opportunity toevaluate various treatment options to address their neck and spine problems,"said Dr. Pierce D. Nunley, of the Spine Institute of Louisiana. "We arethrilled to be able to offer these cutting edge procedures to patients at ourfacility. It allows us to find the treatment option that best fits eachindividual patient, and we are able to successfully treat the majority of ourpatients with conservative treatment modalities and identify those patientswho truly need surgery."
"While fusions continue to be the standard, motion preservation is at theforefront of advances in spine care," said Marcy Rogers, president and CEO ofSpineMark Corporation. "We value the opportunity to participate in trialsthat could lead to additional treatment options for patients in search of atherapy that is right for them."
SpineMark Corporation, headquartered in San Diego, manages a network ofclinical trial sites across the country specializing in spine and backtreatment, and played an integral role in bringing this clinical study to theSpine Institute of Louisiana.
About the Spine Institute of Louisiana
Spine Institute of Louisiana is dedicated to the non-operative andoperative treatment of various disorders of the spine. The physicians at theinstitute specialize in treating both simple and complex neck and backproblems. For more information about the Spine Institute of Louisiana and thevarious clinical trials please contact them by phone at (318) 629-5585 oronline at http://www.louisianaspine.org.
About SpineMark
SpineMark Corporation, headquartered in San Diego, combine
