Laminectomies, Lumbar Spine Fusion, and the TOPS Alternative

Disorders of the spine can put pressure on spinal nerves and nerve roots, resulting in debilitating back and leg pain. Among the most common of these spinal conditions is lumbar spinal stenosis, a narrowing of the spinal canal in the lower back, or lumbar spine. Bone spurs (facet arthrosis), pinched sciatic nerve (sciatica) and/or slipped disc (spondylolisthesis) may accompany the stenosis, exacerbating the problem. Spinal decompression surgery performed by an orthopedic surgeon or a neurosurgeon can provide relief from spinal stenosis symptoms. Often the surgeon performs a lumbar laminectomy procedure, removing a portion of lamina, the bony sheath covering the vertebrae, and the facet joints to relieve the pressure at the point of nerve impingement. Traditionally spine fusion surgery is performed in conjunction with surgical spinal decompression, to stabilize the segments where the lumbar spinal surgery was performed. However, spinal fusion eliminates the natural movement between vertebrae, and can actually promote degeneration of adjacent vertebrae. Now there’s a surgical solution clinically proven to provide better outcomes than spinal fusion back surgery for many patients exhibiting moderate to severe symptoms of spinal stenosis.

Restoring Stability and Preserving Motion after Spine Decompression Surgery

Premia Spine’s TOPS™ System provides stability without sacrificing motion. The TOPS (Total Posterior Spine) System is an advanced spinal implant that recreates motion in all directions – flexion, extension, lateral bending, and axial rotation. The TOPS device is implanted via a traditional posterior surgical approach to stabilize the affected vertebrae and to replace the lamina and facet joints that are removed, in whole or in part, during the lumbar laminectomy surgery or spinal decompression treatment. Tested in clinical trials throughout the world, the TOPS System has been proven to provide immediate and continuing relief of pain and restoration of motion, and better outcomes than lumbar spine fusion. If you’re one of the many sufferers from moderate to severe spinal stenosis symptoms, talk to your physician about the TOPS solution to understand whether it’s an option for you.

You deserve better than fusion

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