FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Dr. Bruce and Dr. Valdez Russo give talk at XIV World Congress of Neurological Surgery

BEVERLY, MA, September 15, 2008 – Dr. Carl A.R. Bruce and Dr. Adriano Valdez Russo, users of the CHAMELEON FacetFuse facet fixation screw system, gave a lecture on facet fixation at SpineFrontier’s World Congress of Neurological Surgery booth. In his talk, “The Renaissance of Facet Fusion”, Dr. Bruce discussed the features and benefits of the CHAMELEON FacetFuse. He was followed by Dr. Valdez Russo’s talk, “Lumbar Fusion Surgery with Minimum Exposure: Using the FacetFuse, which discussed the value the system brings to the Dominican Republic and the rest of the Caribbean.

By using proprietary screws, the FacetFuse device relieves severe lower back and leg pain by fusing two vertebrae, eliminating the movement that causes pain. Dr. Bruce, neurosurgeon at the University Hospital of the West Indies and a frequent user of the system, commented on the simplicity and ingenuity.

"The FacetFuse provides an amazingly simple solution to a problem that we’ve had for many years in spinal surgery. We have a solution that has provided us with more efficient use of our operating time. There is less blood loss during the procedure, the patients are more comfortable in the post-operative period, they have less instrumentation and implants at the end of the procedure,” said Dr. Bruce. “At the same time we have solved the problem of their lower back pain with this simple screw and technology. I think our patients are very grateful for the renaissance of this very old idea.”

Designed and evaluated by world-renowned practicing spine surgeons, the FacetFuse screw is state-of-the-art. When compared to traditional pedicle screws, facet screws require less dissection and exposure of the muscle tissue, and can be installed in a shorter period of time.

The first user of the CHAMELEON FacetFuse facet fixation screw system in the Dominican Republic, Dr. Valdez Russo, neurosurgeon at the Hospital Metropolitano of Santiago, continued the lecture as he discussed the benefits the CHAMELEON FacetFuse will bring to the Caribbean.

Since he began using the system in early 2009, Dr. Valdez Russo has installed over 50 FacetFuse screws in over 30 patients, ages 14 to 78.

"I can put one [FacetFuse screw] in quickly using the drill included in the set [in] 15 to 17 minutes,” said Dr. Valdez Russo. “When we end with the interbody and begin installing the screws, we know we are ending the surgery”.

The FacetFuse device is implanted through a minimally-invasive surgical technique, or less exposure surgery (LES) technique. The LES technique requires a smaller incision which, in comparison to traditional open spine surgery, is preferable due to significantly faster healing time, substantially less blood loss, less post-operative patient pain, and quicker recovery time. The operation is also faster and easier for the surgeon, and the device can be placed with more precision using fluoroscopy. Dr. Kingsley R. Chin, who is also an inventor of the MANTIS minimally invasive pedicle screw system for spinal fusion said, “[The FacetFuse] device will significantly benefit surgeons and their patients.”

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SpineFrontier was founded by practicing spine surgeons with the belief that, as surgeons, we are best able to identify our own needs as well as those of our patients. Our team of surgeons, engineers and industry experts collaborate seamlessly on our innovations, helping us develop SpineFrontier into a company that is primarily driven to be a leader in innovation and cutting edge technology. SpineFrontier will assist us surgeons in solving the challenges we face daily, while treating our patients in the operating room.

SpineFrontier is constantly striving to design products that are rooted in the idea of providing the patient with a pain-free and comfortable lifestyle.

Contact:
Marwan M. Aylouche
Director, Product and Corporate Image
SpineFrontier
Phone: +1 978 279 9270
Fax: +1 978 232 3001
innovation@spinefrontier.com