The Maverick™ Artificial Disc
was developed by Medtronic Sofamor Danek. Following the FDA
Clinical Trials for the Maverick™, a slightly modified device,
known as the A-Mav™ was made available to a select number of spine
surgeons to implant in a small number of patients. Dr. Dryer
participated in the Maverick™ and A-Mav™ studies and has extensive
experience with both devices. Neither the Maverick™ nor the
A-Mav™ have received FDA approval at this time.
The X Stop®
- Interspinous Process Decompression (IPD®)
System, by St. Francis Medical Technologies, Inc., was approved for use
in the U.S. by the Food and Drug Administration in November
2005. It is intended to treat patients experiencing
degeneration of the lumbar spine due to aging and symptoms
caused by narrowing of the spinal canal, and/or excessive
loading on the spinal segment. The implant is made of
titanium alloy with a PEEK spacer.
The Charité, by Johnson & Johnson's DePuy
Spine, was the first and, so far, the only lumbar artificial disc approved for use
in the U.S. by the Food and Drug Administration.
Kyphoplasty is a minimally invasive
procedure to treat vertebral compression fractures and reduce back
pain, as well as restore vertebral height and spinal alignment.
Nucleoplastyis a
minimally invasive procedure for percutaneous disc decompression. It is used for
treatment of symptomatic patients with contained herniated
discs.
InFuse™ Bone
Graft is a
genetically engineered compound, rhBMP-2 or Bone Morphogenetic
Protein, offering an option to other "bone"
alternatives in spinal fusions.
Dynesys is a dynamic stabilization system
developed by Zimmer Spine as one possible alternative to
spinal fusion.
METRx™ is an endoscopic discectomy system developed by Medtronic Sofamor Danek.
