Spine Institute Of Louisiana Offers Cervical Spine Motion Preservation As An Alternative To Fusion Surgery

The Spine Institute of
Louisiana, in conjunction with SpineMark Corporation, is now offering
cervical spine motion preservation procedures as an alternative to the
traditional fusion surgery typically used for cervical spine damage. To
provide patients with alternative surgical options, Spine Institute of
Louisiana is now enrolling patients in several clinical trials using motion
preservation spinal devices aimed at maintaining natural movement. As part
of this initiative, Dr. Pierce Nunley, medical director of the institute,
recently performed the first ever two-level total disc replacement of the
neck in the state of Louisiana.


Spinal fusion has been the standard surgical care for numerous spine
conditions such as scoliosis, degenerative disc disease, instability of the
spine or spinal fractures. Unlike spinal fusion, which achieves pain relief
through immobilization, artificial discs maintain motion at the operative
level once the damaged disc has been removed. Furthermore, artificial disc
replacements provide a more rapid return to activity than fusion surgery,
which requires time for the bone graft to grow into a solid mass for
stabilization.



One such motion preservation trial involving patients with degenerative
disc disease of the cervical spine, commonly known as a herniated, ruptured
or slipped disc, involves the replacement of the diseased disc with an
artificial disc. In a special case that qualified for treatment within the
study, Dr. Nunley conducted a two-level replacement -- a procedure that
replaces two damaged discs sitting atop one another -- the first ever in
the state of Louisiana. The beneficiary of this investigational procedure
is Darrel Betha, a 46-year-old hurricane Katrina evacuee who had been
suffering from neck and arm pain since 2004 following a work-place
accident, and is now living pain free.



"At one point in time, I couldn't lift my right arm without pain and
numbness in my arm, neck, shoulder and back," said Darrell Betha. "Now, I
don't feel the pain."



Betha, a welder of twelve years prior to suffering an injury on the job
in 2004 and has been out of work since, is looking forward to a speedy
recovery and a return to work.



"Motion preservation procedures provide patients with an opportunity to
evaluate various treatment options to address their neck and spine
problems," said Dr. Pierce D. Nunley, of the Spine Institute of Louisiana.
"We are thrilled to be able to offer these cutting edge procedures to
patients at our facility. It allows us to find the treatment option that
best fits each individual patient, and we are able to successfully treat
the majority of our patients with conservative treatment modalities and
identify those patients who truly need surgery."



"While fusions continue to be the standard, motion preservation is at
the forefront of advances in spine care," said Marcy Rogers, president and
CEO of SpineMark Corporation. "We value the opportunity to participate in
trials that could lead to additional treatment options for patients in
search of a therapy that is right for them."



SpineMark Corporation, headquartered in San Diego, manages a network of
clinical trial sites across the country specializing in spine and back
treatment, and played an integral role in bringing this clinical study to
the Spine Institute of Louisiana.



About the Spine Institute of Louisiana



Spine Institute of Louisiana is dedicated to the non-operative and
operative treatment of various disorders of the spine. The physicians at
the institute specialize in treating both simple and complex neck and back
problems.



About SpineMark



SpineMark Corporation, headquartered in San Diego, combines the
clinical, business development, contracting, marketing and research
expertise to establish Spine Centers of Excellence. Formed as a joint
venture between Texas Back Institute Holdings and Management Technology
Resources, the two entities are dedicated to unite all of the necessary
experience and expertise under the management of recognized leaders in both
the business and medical world of spine care. To learn more about SpineMark
visit: spinemark.


SpineMark Corporation

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