Next-Generation Surgery for Back Pain

A new artificial disc is designed to have long-term durability to safely offer increased range of motion and less strain on the adjacent discs than spinal fusion provides.

Called Maverick, the disc has two rather than three components, both made of metal rather than plastic or polymers, which can wear down and cause tissue reaction with their debris. The Maverick is made from a cobalt-chrome alloy and can move side to side or back to front. Rather than fusing the surrounding vertebrae together after the diseased disc is removed, the Maverick is inserted in their place, anchored by a calcium-rich substance. About 30 sites are currently testing the Maverick.

"The reason we're looking for alternatives to fusion is that, while fusing two or more vertebrae in the spine together can eliminate pain, it does have drawbacks,” said principal investigator Srdjan Mirkovic, M.D., a spine surgeon at Northwestern Memorial Hospital (Chicago, IL, USA). "The bone does not always heal or fuse correctly, and the recovery and rehabilitation periods are prolonged. The theory behind replacing the disc rather than using spinal fusion is that we may be able to preserve range of motion and decrease wear and tear at adjacent levels by distributing stress through the lower back.”

Northwestern Memorial Hospital is one of the sites conducting the study, which is being sponsored by Medtronic Sofamor Danek (Memphis, TN, USA).




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