Radiolucent Implant for Spinal Fusion

A new radiolucent implant allows clear, radiologic visualization of fusion, increasing the confidence of surgeons in fusion assessment. The implant has been cleared by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Lumbar fusions are a common treatment for disabling low-back pain and leg pain caused by degenerative disc disease. The new implant, called Bak Vista, maintains proven design features of the original Bak implant and is consistent in its surgical technique and instrumentation to the Bak Interbody Fusion System, all products of Centerpulse Spine-Tech, Inc. (Minneapolis, MN, USA). Tantalum beads imbedded in the anterior and posterior edges of the implant allow for x-ray confirmation of implant location.

"Unlike metal implants, the radiolucent Bak Vista implant does not cause artifacts or flares on x-ray, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), or computed tomography (CT) scans, which provide surgeons with an important fusion assessment tool for the lumbar spine,” said Dr. Paul C. McAfee, of the Scoliosis and Spine Center in Baltimore (MD, USA).




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