Basics and Complexities of Motion Preservation Surgery
The advent of motion preservation surgery signifies a unique shift toward solutions that focus on tailoring back treatments to your unique spinal condition. Traditional fusion surgery is gradually giving way to evidence-based disc replacements as technology reshapes the spine treatment landscape.
Advancements in preoperative planning software and navigation systems, as well as increased adoption of this technology, is benefiting today’s spine surgery patients more than ever before. Surgeons can now leverage innovations to conduct comprehensive preoperative planning and tailor implants to the exact anatomical needs of your spinal problems.
The evolving spine marketplace is also playing a role in the importance of patient empowerment and education. Informed patients are actively engaging with their health care providers and seeking treatment options beyond traditional solutions like disc fusion. Patients are sharing success stories after undergoing disc replacement surgery, leading to a shift in expectations and demands.
What does it mean for you and your spine? This disruption is placing greater emphasis on the ongoing refinement of motion-preserving technologies that give surgeons a wider array of tools. Standard fusion techniques lack disease-specific precision, with many surgeons saying the future lies in fine-tuning treatments.
Fortunately, this new approach is poised to balance the drawbacks associated with spinal instrumentation. Surgeons can achieve a higher level of precision, ultimately leading to improved patient outcomes.
With that said, buckle up for a deep-dive into this subject — or simply soak up the shorter version:
- The TOPS System is a motion preservation device that’s the only technology of its kind designed to preserve mobility post-spinal decompression.
- Surgeons now offer an attractive alternative to traditional fusion spinal surgery by replacing or repairing damaged discs with flexible implants.
- New surgical techniques are making spine surgery less invasive for patients by utilizing innovative technologies and avoiding historically complex surgical steps.
Replacing Anatomical Structures with Motion Preservation Surgery
The Total Posterior Spine System, or TOPS System, is a motion preservation surgery device comprised of a titanium construct with an interlocking core. This means that after open posterior decompression, it’s inserted and affixed using screws that preserve normal spinal motion and provide stabilization of your lumbar spine.
“The TOPS System replaces anatomical structures, such as the lamina and the facet joints, that are removed during spinal decompression treatment to alleviate pain,” according to facts published by the Medicare Electronic Application Request Information System, or MEARIS. “The internal stoppers replace the natural bony elements of the articular facet joint stabilizing the segment while allowing normal motion.”
In short, the internal components take the place of your ligaments in their ability to help control flexion and lateral bending.
The TOPS System, the first and only lumbar spine facet joint replacement device, provides a beacon of hope for more than 100 million individuals globally grappling with the debilitating effects of lumbar spinal stenosis and degenerative spondylolisthesis, according to Ortho Spine News.
“As the only technology of its kind designed to preserve mobility post-decompression, TOPS offers a revolutionary alternative to the 350,000 patients annually who traditionally undergo lumbar spinal fusion,” the article states. “With a potential global market value of $2 billion annually, this innovation marks a transformative step forward in global spine health management.”
The Spinal Surgery Market Has Been Ripe for Disruption
In retrospect, the spine surgery marketplace has been ripe for disruption, with a growing demand for innovative solutions like motion preservation surgery that deliver meaningfully better outcomes. Historically, established spinal treatment and surgical companies faced the challenge of developing groundbreaking technologies that can reshape clinical practices and capture a larger market share.
While the journey might involve substantial investment in research, development, and clinical validation, the potential rewards for back patients are huge. These industry researchers have learned that gaining market share requires developing completely new technologies that require expensive and lengthy product development and clinical validation processes, but the efforts have potential to pay off in a big way.
The clinical and economic benefits of motion preservation are immense. By replacing or repairing damaged or diseased discs with implants that maintain flexibility, surgeons are now offering a compelling alternative to traditional fusion surgery, striking a balance between stability and mobility. With a steady stream of new motion preservation devices entering the market each year, spine companies are tirelessly pursuing advanced solutions that provide support while allowing for some level of flexibility between spinal segments.
One fact to remember: your spine’s primary function lies in its range of motion. When degeneration threatens nerve roots, a surgeon must find ways to alleviate your pressure while addressing your instability. Bending, twisting, and lifting can exacerbate this problem, leading to major complications.
While fusion surgery often restores stability, it does so at the cost of flexibility, limiting function and potentially causing further problems in adjacent areas due to increased stress. In carefully chosen patients, motion-preserving implants offer a unique alternative, providing immediate pain relief and preserving natural spinal movement, and minimizing the risk of adjacent segment disease.
Considering the Complexities of Motion Preservation Surgery
While both movement-maintaining implants and traditional fusion surgery address spinal issues, they aren’t interchangeable solutions when it comes to motion preservation surgery. Spine surgery is highly individualized, and surgeons must carefully consider various factors to determine the best approach for your specific condition. The fundamental question is whether a motion-preserving implant is suitable for your spine’s pathology and can provide lasting benefits.
Surgeons must assess whether preserving motion at the affected spinal segment is beneficial. For instance, a patient with severe facet joint degeneration and bone-on-bone disc contact would likely not benefit significantly from motion preservation, as it may only offer minor improvements in function and pain relief. In this case, fusion surgery is more appropriate.
Conversely, a patient with spinal stenosis and spondylolisthesis but a well-functioning disc could experience substantial pain relief and functional improvement through posterior decompression and the placement of an artificial motion-preserving facet joint. Meanwhile, treating discogenic pain originating from degenerative arthritis within your disc can also be challenging.
What’s interesting is, fusion surgery is often employed to address biomechanical challenges and manage conditions such as spondylolisthesis and degenerative disc disease. However, each instability problem is unique and requires a tailored approach. Roughly half of lumbar fusions are performed for degenerative spondylolisthesis, while several other spinal issues present distinct mechanical concerns.
Thankfully, certain devices offer a minimally invasive, motion-preserving option for patients with degenerative spondylolisthesis. These innovative designs enable surgeons to perform direct decompressions, relieve nerve pressure, and utilize implants to optimize facet joint engagement and preserve spinal motion.
Just remember: no single device can address all of these diverse and complex conditions. Each instability problem demands a specific treatment approach to achieve optimal results for your spine.
Tailored Solutions Discovered Through the TOPS System
The motion preservation surgery advancements mentioned herein are user-friendly and allow surgeons to perform direct decompressions that alleviate pressure on nerve roots. After decompression, the device is strategically placed around the posterior elements of your vertebrae to act as a tension band around the decompressed segment.
Research has shown the superiority of these devices in lower reoperation rates and improved disability scores compared to standard decompression and Transforaminal Lumbar Interbody Fusion, or TLIF, procedures at approximately two years post-operation. These positive results are usually maintained for multiple years.
The development of motion-preserving implants parallels the advancement of hip and knee replacements. This arena evolved from bone fusions that robbed patients of motion in their joints to procedures that allow patients to quickly return to routine activities.
Spine surgery is undergoing a similar transformation through the TOPS System. Instead of fusing lumbar spine segments, and potentially exposing patients to higher risks of adjacent segment breakdown, surgeons can stabilize and maintain normal motion.
For more than a year, several studies have validated that TOPS lumbar facet arthroplasty yields a higher rate of clinical success and fewer revision procedures compared to fusion at the post-operation two-year mark. Results show that TOPS is clinically superior to lumbar fusion in treating degenerative spondylolisthesis with stenosis and other spinal issues.
Evolving Research Heavily Supports Motion Preservation Surgery
Overall, modern technologies and motion preservation surgery are enabling less invasive procedures and elimination of interbody surgical complexities. A significant portion of cases using these devices are performed in minimally invasive spinal centers, with no patients requiring hospital readmission due to complications.
Today, TOPS is reportedly the only facet joint replacement system preserving lumbar spine mobility after decompression surgery. TOPS keeps normal spinal movements and allows you to heal faster and maintain better form compared to fusion surgery. Research supports motion preservation as a viable, potentially superior alternative to fusion, as immobilizing spinal segments can transfer stress and degeneration to adjacent areas.
Despite its enormous benefits, adoption of motion-preserving implants is still in its infant stages. Studies show that 10 – 20 percent of eligible cervical spine patients and less than 5 percent of lumbar spine patients have opted for such procedures. Maxim Health’s mission is to empower patients to regain optimal range of motion through disc replacement, enabling a return to pain-free daily activities and increasing these percentages.
Our focus is on enhancing surgical efficiency by minimizing instrument exchanges and reducing bone manipulation. By offering flexibility in implant choices that align with individual patient anatomy, we streamline surgery and reduce extensive bone work.
Maxim Health
Looking for motion preservation surgery? This is where our groundbreaking approach intersects with your needs. Maxim Health is a beacon of innovation.
Our comprehensive focus brings together luminaries in spine surgery for an unparalleled experience in care, expertise, and attention. With an extensive track record of successful and intricate procedures, Maxim Health is also at the forefront of surgical solutions. We help patients regain control of their lives, from non-invasive interventions to the latest advancements in pain relief.
