Can a TLIF spine surgery resolve your severe low back and leg pain? Learn from Timothy’s experience.
If you’ve tried a myriad of non-surgical treatments for your chronic low back and leg pain with no success, you may be a candidate for spine surgery. One approach your doctor may consider is called a transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion—or TLIF.
Spine Specialists On-Call: Spinal Nerve Compression and Unilateral TLIF - Part Two of Three
The Transforaminal Lumbar Interbody Fusion (TLIF) technique is a unilateral (one-sided) technique, which allows the surgeon access to the interbody disc space. The TLIF technique is advantageous over a posterior spinal fusion technique because the surgeon is able to restore intervertebral body height, reduce spondylolisthesis, degenerative instability, and enhance lordosis (natural curvature) by maintaining anterior column height with posterior spinal fixation (eg, cages, rods, screws). Furthermore, a greater surface area for fusion is obtained, which enhances the potential for a successful fusion. The technique also allows the surgeon to directly address a disease process in the front of the spinal column.
Invibio looks at augmented biomaterial for the next generation of spinal implants. This includes regulatory clearances for PEEK- Optima HA Enhanced in the US and CE mark approval in Europe, plus encouraging pre-clinical study results and early clinical experience.
A wealth of research and clinical experience is confirming that the use of PEEK-Optima polymer-based spinal implants confers advantages that can, potentially, enhance the efficacy of spinal implants and improve patient outcomes.
Back pain is one of the most common health complaints among adults in the United States. Such pain can be caused by strained muscles or ligaments, excess weight, poor posture, psychological problems, or every day activities. A Statista survey from 2017 found that 29 percent of U.S. adults with back problems believed stress was the cause of their pain, while 26 percent blamed weak muscles or a lack of exercise, and another 26 percent blamed physical work.
John Devine, Invibio Biomaterial Solutions, explains whycomposite polymer implants are poised for accelerating take-up in trauma fixation.
High-performing polyetheretherketone (PEEK) polymer has for some time now been adopted by innovative medical device companies as an alternative to metal implants. Applications include arthroscopy, joint reconstruction, trauma, dental, and cranio-maxillofacial procedures. In interbody fusion, PEEK is the material of choice, used in over 70% of devices. PEEK Optima is one of them and the recent development of an enhanced grade with hydroxyapatite (HA) fully integrated into this polymer has become a further material option for applications where early bone on-growth is required.
