Lumbar Spinal Stenosis Surgery at the Olympia Medical Center

Leading spinal neurosurgeon hosts clinical trial at Institute for Spinal Research

LOS ANGELES, June 9 /PRNewswire/ – For a patient suffering from Spinal Stenosis like Mike, back pain, leg pain and difficulty standing up becomes a forced way of life. Mike, a 51 year-old racket ball player and all around athlete reached a point where he could no longer stand up straight in the shower.

Luckily for Mike, Dr. Carl Lauryssen, a renowned spinal neurosurgeon and the director of spine research and development at the Olympia Medical Center Institute for Spinal Research in Los Angeles, California, was participating in a clinical trial that offered an alternative to the treatments of spinal stenosis. Mike was screened and had the procedure.

“When I first met Mike, he was suffering from pain and numbness in his left leg and in his back. He was frustrated by his constant pain and inability to play sports, which had been his love for most of his life,” explains Dr. Lauryssen. “I diagnosed him with Spinal Stenosis in L4 and L5 and he met the qualifications for an interspinous implant clinical trial which offered a minimally invasive treatment with a rapid recovery time.”

Lumbar Spinal Stenosis (LSS) is a very common cause of pain and immobility in middle age to elderly adults. Interspinous spacers act as a barrier and limit extension at symptomatic disc levels. This clinical trial aims to measure the effectiveness of inserting an interspinous spacer between the problematic discs and whether this procedure is effective at relieving the pressure on the spinal nerve and preserving mobility. If approved by the FDA, this treatment will serve as an alternative to more invasive surgical treatment such as decompressive laminectomy or surgical decompression with fusion.

For Mike, the surgery was a success. “Within five hours of surgery, I walked around the patient recovery area. Three days later, I flew home to northern California. Within five days, I was back at work. Within six weeks, I was playing racket ball, golfing 18-holes, and scuba diving. I feel like I am in my 40s and I am pain free,” explains Mike.

Mike is one of the many patients who has benefited from the services of Dr. Lauryssen. Dr. Lauryssen has twice been awarded the Young Investigator Award from the American Association of Neurological Surgeons for his work on cervical disorders and stem cell research. He is also a founding member of the SpineMark SRO of Los Angeles.

Potential candidates who wish to be screened for any study can contact Jeannie Salazar at 310.855.0751 or visit www.thespinaldoctor.com.

SOURCE SpineMark Corporation