AUSTIN, Texas, July 21, 2022--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Wenzel Spine, a leader in the development of innovative stand-alone spinal fusion technologies and diagnostic methods, announced today a notable achievement in the company’s history with the first awake spinal fusion procedure using the VariLift®-LX interbody implant. The Less Invasive Spine Surgery (LISS)™ was performed without general anesthesia by Harvard trained and board certified orthopedic spine surgeon Ahmer K. Ghori, M.D. of Fort Wayne, IN. Dr. Ghori coined LISS™ to illustrate his minimalist approach consisting of a small midline incision for appropriate decompression and instrumentation under direct visualization; combined with a spinal anesthetic and an Erector Spinae Block for post-operative pain control, potentially allowing for same day discharge in select, medically appropriate cases.
VariLift®-LX is the only FDA-cleared stand-alone lumbar interbody fusion device on the market that can be implanted without the need for supplemental fixation such as pedicle screw instrumentation. This expandable, low-profile device offers a true LISS™ or MIS alternative for patients suffering from symptomatic grade 1 spondylolisthesis, degenerative disc disease, or adjacent segment disease.
"The ability to treat select spinal disorders solely with an interbody cage is a definitive advancement in our evolution from minimally invasive surgery, which still requires the same amount of hardware, to Less Invasive Spine Surgery™ and represents a distinct advantage over competing implants," explains Dr. Ghori. "This innovation allows us to provide same day surgical care in a hospital or ambulatory surgery center (ASC)."
Dr. Ghori added that "this ‘less is more’ approach is often a better alternative for a subset of patients because it prioritizes less instrumentation, anatomy preservation, and minimizes post-operative morbidity. He adds, "I remain very enthusiastic about LISS™ with VariLift® and the potential benefit it provides my patients. My research interest is in defining the subset of fusion patients who may be candidates for this LISS alternative with VariLift®, documenting the advantages but also studying the potential risks and disadvantages in the long term "
"Our Wenzel team is thrilled at the successful conduct of a VariLift®-LX fusion and applaud Dr. Ghori’s ongoing efforts and endorsement of our innovative technology. As we move forward," says Wenzel Spine CEO, Bill Wilson, "we will work with surgeons to refine the surgical indications for outpatient spinal fusion with the VariLift®-LX. This technology is demonstrating that through careful engineering and thoughtful application, patients are benefiting immensely from the reduced surgical time, potential elimination of general anesthesia, and the ability to achieve same day discharge after a spine fusion in select patients."
About Wenzel Spine, Inc. Wenzel Spine, Inc. is a medical technology company focused on providing minimally invasive solutions for the treatment of spinal disorders. Headquartered in Austin, TX, Wenzel Spine is focused on delivering surgical solutions that improve the overall quality of spine care by simplifying procedures and reducing recovery time. Wenzel Spine seeks to improve patient quality of life by designing and producing devices of the highest quality to support our surgeon clients in the care and treatment of their patients. For more information about the company and our products, visit www.wenzelspine.com.
View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220721005114/en/
Wenzel Spine, Inc. William E. Wilson Chief Executive Officer 512-469-0600
SIGA Technologies, maker of the only available monkeypox treatment, is working to ramp up manufacturing for broader global distribution.
We just can't get a break from COVID. While things were inching closer towards normalcy, cases are rising again thanks to the latest dominant variant BA.5, which experts say is the most contagious COVID strain yet. Although the virus affects everyone differently, there are symptoms to watch out for that indicate you've had COVID and Eat This, Not That! Health spoke with Dr. Mark Fischer, Regional Medical Director at International SOS who explains what to know about BA.5 and symptoms to watch out
Whether you're nursing a cold or need a quick and easy lunch, soup is the one food that practically everyone has in their pantry. No matter much or little you know about cooking, being able to grab your can opener or tear into a packet for a reliably good meal is a convenience that's too good for most to pass up—especially if you haven't had time to make it to the grocery store for fresh ingredients lately. But now, the Food&Drug Administration (FDA) is warning consumers that one soup that may b
A Copenhagen company worked for nearly two decades to develop a vaccine and only six governments bought it. Bavarian Nordic A/S is the world’s sole supplier of a licensed vaccine for monkeypox. The World Health Organization in recent days declared the disease a public health emergency of international concern, the first time the group has issued that designation since the early days of the Covid-19 pandemic.
The highly contagious BA.5 subvariant is causing a nationwide spike in cases, and experts believe the numbers might actually be higher thanks to at-home testing. But even without accurate data, there is no doubt a surge is happening. "You don't have to count every raindrop to know it's raining," says Dr. Joseph Kanter, Louisiana's state health officer and medical director. "And it's pouring right now." Here are five signs of BA.5 that are easy to miss, according to experts. Read on—and to ensure
We all know the feeling—standing there in the bread aisle at the grocery store, craving a delicious sandwich or slice of toast, while simultaneously telling ourselves that we can't buy any bread because it's "unhealthy."But why do we so often force ourselves to avoid bread when in reality bread isn't the enemy? We've been told for so long that in order to be healthy we have to avoid carbs, but giving up bread completely may mean you'll lose out on valuable nutrients.The main distinction to note
A federal court ruling has dealt a blow to Bausch Health by appearing to clear the way for generic competition for the company’s drug Xifaxan. Bausch Health stock (ticker: BHC) plummeted more than 50% Thursday morning on the news, and trading of the shares was halted. In 2020, Bausch Health Ireland and Salix Pharmaceuticals sued Norwich Pharmaceuticals in 2020 for patent infringement, regarding Norwich’s plans to bring a generic version of Xifaxan to market before its patents had expired, according to a Bloomberg Law report.
Monkeypox has spread across multiple countries, including the U.S., where the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has confirmed almost 5,000 cases since May. While reminiscent of the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, this viral disease spreads differently. We all remember masking up, wearing gloves, and waiting in line to get into the grocery store in 2020, but will we have to do that again because of this virus?Experts at the CDC and others say monkeypox spreads mostly through cl
The 300 vaccines that were allocated for DeKalb County are already spoken for.
We are in an epidemic of stress right now, and ashwagandha is an adaptogenic that helps our bodies become more resilient to stress, says Robin Foroutan, RDN.
AstraZeneca's Covid-19 antibody drug slashes the risk of new variants emerging, the company said, as Britain faces mounting pressure to follow other Western nations in ordering doses.
U.S. regulators said Friday they are no longer considering authorizing a second COVID-19 booster shot for all adults under 50 this summer, focusing instead on revamped vaccines for the fall that will target the newest viral subvariants. Pfizer and Moderna expect to have updated versions of their shots available as early as September, the Food and Drug Administration said in a statement. The announcement means the U.S. won’t pursue a summer round of boosters using the current vaccines for adults under 50, as some Biden administration officials and outside experts previously suggested.
Is Merck stock a buy as reports suggest it could put up $40 billion to acquire Seagen? Is MRK stock a buy right now?
The sharpest opinions on the debate from around the web
With growing concerns that the monkeypox outbreak could turn into another pandemic, local health offices have been flooded with requests for the monkeypox vaccine. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there have been just 330 cases here in Georgia as of July 29.
The company had said it was in talks with the FDA about seeking early approval, but Wall Street analysts thought the agency would make it wait to apply.
Breaking down the stigma of mental health and minority mental health awareness
A once-prominent neurologist was found guilty Friday on charges of sexually abusing patients while treating them with pain medications. A New York City jury reached the verdict after deliberating for about three days at the trial of Dr. Ricardo Cruciani. Cruciani, 68, was convicted on 12 criminal counts — one count of predatory sexual assault, one of attempted rape, one of sex abuse, two of rape and seven of criminal sexual acts.
Strong quarterly sales of Pfizer’s Covid-19 products helped offset mixed results from other products, and the drugmaker sees full-year revenue gains being offset by unfavorable currency effects.
Compared with the earlier Omicron BA.2 subvariant, currently dominant Omicron BA.5 is linked with higher odds of causing a second SARS-COV-2 infection regardless of vaccination status, a study from Portugal suggests. Further, they found, in infected heart muscle cells only the SARS-CoV-2 spike interacted with so-called TLR4 proteins (Toll-like receptor-4) that recognize invaders and trigger inflammatory responses.