Beth Israel's Spine Institute Offers a Minimally Invasive, Less Traumatic Alternative to Traditional Open Spine Fusion Surgery.

Business Editors/Health/Medical Writers

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--June 16, 2003

New Procedure Reduces Muscle Damage, Recovery Time and Pain

Associated With Traditional Open Spine Fusion Procedures

Chronic low back pain affects an estimated 65 million Americans. When traditional treatment options such as pain medications and physical therapy are not providing relief to patients, spine fusion surgery is often the next step for treating low back pain and instability associated with severe spinal disorders. Doctors at Beth Israel's Spine Institute, one of the nation's premier spinal centers, are among the first to offer a new, safe and minimally invasive spine fusion technique that reduces the post-operative pain, blood loss, infection rate and scarring associated with traditional fusion surgeries.

During traditional open spinal fusion, a large vertical incision is made down the length of the spine, and the healthy muscle and tissue are widely stripped and retracted to reach the damaged vertebrae which are then essentially "welded" together to eliminate the pain caused by movement of problematic vertebrae. Although the fusion itself has proven to be successful on most patients, the traditional open approach is highly traumatic and can do extensive damage to healthy muscle and soft-tissue that lie over the diseased spinal anatomy. This risk leaves many candidates skeptical about the procedure and many often opt not to undergo surgery or postpone it until the pain simply gets too unbearable.

However, the minimally invasive spine procedure being performed at the Spine Institute requires only one small incision on each side of the spine during the entire procedure. Results show significant benefits compared to the traditional open procedure, including a 65 percent reduction in patient pain, shorter hospital stay, faster recovery time and a quicker resumption to everyday activities.

"This technology is a monumental advancement for the field of spinal surgery," says Fabien Bitan, M.D., attending spine surgeon at Beth Israel's Spine Institute. "Today, it is being used for spinal fusion procedures, but it is not unrealistic that in the future, it may be applicable for other types of spinal surgeries, such as disc replacements. This less invasive option proves that spinal surgery doesn't have to be invasive, traumatic and disabling, as its reputation suggests."

Dr. Bitan uses the Endius Atavi (R) Atraumatic Spine Fusion System to perform this minimally invasive spine fusion procedure.

How the Atavi (R) Atraumatic Spine Fusion System Works:

The minimally invasive procedure is enabled via a single access portal, the Atavi FlexPosure (R) Endo-Retractor, which is a tube that is inserted through a small incision and expanded at the spine. The FlexPosure then creates and maintains a substantial operative space - exposing only the anatomy the surgeon needs, while protecting surrounding muscle and tissue, and eliminating the need for a large incision. Atavi is the only single, integrated surgical system to combine novel access technology with advanced visualization and instrumentation capabilities. This unique combination of features allows surgeons to perform a single and two-level fixation and fusion, decompression and an interbody fusion through the same access portal without changing the traditional open surgical technique. While Atavi can be used endoscopically, it is also compatible with surgical loupes and microscopes, so surgeons can select the exact visualization method that best suits their needs and likes.

According to clinical results of the Atavi System, patients showed a 55 percent improvement in their ability to carry out daily, routine activities over three months following surgery. In addition, 89 percent of patients had returned to work by their three-month checkup.

For more information about minimally invasive spine fusion surgery with the Atavi System, please call Dr. Bitan's office at 212/844-8669. If you would like to attend an upcoming surgery (scheduled for June 20) and interview a patient who's undergone minimally invasive spinal fusion, call Elizabeth Dowling in the public affairs office at 212/523-4047.