Lock-Tight Facet Fixation System used performing posterior spinal fixation procedures

Sep 10 2009

Spine surgeon David Raskas, M.D. at the Frontenac Surgery and Spine care Center has been performing outpatient, minimally invasive, posterior spinal fixation procedures on patients using the Lock-Tight™ Facet Fixation System, a unique technology that enables surgeons to fixate the facet joint without needing to perform an open procedure that usually requires fastening and fixating with pedicle screws and rods.

To help alleviate the patients’ chronic back pain, Dr. Raskas, an orthopaedic surgeon with the St. Louis Spine Care Alliance, utilizes the Lock-Tight technology, a minimally invasive, percutaneous implant and delivery system. Lock-Tight features a cannulated, partially-threaded titanium screw which is inserted through a tube and secured with a unique locking washer which, when fully seated, prevents the screw from rotating after it has been implanted. This locking feature is unique to the Lock-Tight Facet System.

The cases take approximately one hour to perform and the patients are typically able to return home the same day as the surgery.

“These cases have been going extremely well and we are very pleased with the patient outcomes,” said Dr. Raskas. “I am impressed with the amount of compression the implant provides – and to be able to perform this kind of surgery percutaneously, enabling the patient to go home the same day, is quite an achievement and bodes well for future cases.”

"Posterior fixation -- allowing surgeons to create a rigid posterior construct in a fraction of the time required by conventional devices -- is something we have already been seeing great success with thanks to our existing Facet Fixation technology,” said Paul Sendro, Executive Vice President of Boca Raton-based US Spine, makers of Facet Fixation Systems, including Lock-Tight. “Now, with Lock-Tight, we can provide surgeons with a minimally invasive facet stabilization technology that can be used for patients undergoing MIS fusions and decompressions. It is a complimentary solution to our Facet Gun™ and Facet Bolt™ systems, and solidifies our position as the market leader in Facet Technologies. That a leading surgeon such as Dr. Raskas is now able to achieve these results in an outpatient setting using our technology is particularly rewarding.”

Sendro added that the Lock-Tight technology is being quickly accepted by the surgeon community – and is in place with 24 surgeons at 15 sites across the country and growing. The company expects to launch the system across the country at the North American Spine Society meeting in November.

http://www.us-spine.com