Crescent View Surgery Center has become the first facility in the greater New Orleans area to utilize the Aurora ZIP® lumbar fusion device. As an alternative to more invasive lumbar fusion surgery, the Aurora ZIP® lumbar fusion procedure is a treatment option for patients who might have otherwise failed more traditional therapies for their low back and leg pain.
Dr. Suneil “Neil” Jolly, in partnership with Dr. Sebastian Koga, performed New Orleans’ first ZIP® procedure, which utilizes an interspinous fixation implant for spinal fusion. The Aurora ZIP® Lumbar Fixation is a good option for patients with spinal instability. Spinal instability may cause low back pain and may lead to the “pinching” of spinal nerves, therefore causing shooting leg pains, numbness, and weakness. The Aurora ZIP® Fusion is used to treat spinal instability in those who have been diagnosed with certain conditions, including degenerative disc disease, spondylolisthesis, spinal stenosis, or lumbar radiculopathy.
By comparison to traditional back surgery, the Aurora ZIP® Fusion is a minimally invasive procedure. Over traditional spine surgery, the Aurora ZIP® fusion offers several advantages, including smaller skin incisions which lead to less pain, minimal blood loss, no general anesthesia, same-day discharge, and faster recovery. Traditionally, a fusion is performed by spine surgeons through extensive back surgery that requires general anesthesia. The surgeons drill metal screws into the backbones, and there is some trauma to the back ligaments and muscles. A hospital stay is necessary after this surgery, and the recovery takes several months.
According to the Institute of Medicine, chronic pain affects more than 100 million Americans, an incidence rate which outpaces heart disease, cancer and diabetes combined. Research suggests that, in total, the condition costs the American population an estimated 515 million workdays annually and generates upwards of 40 million visits to physicians each year.
“So many of our chronic pain patients suffering from lower back and leg pain can benefit from the ZIP minimally invasive outpatient treatment option,” said Dr. Jolly. “Previously, these patients could only rely on more invasive treatment options that are commonly performed using pedicle screws and decompression techniques. Now, we can perform a simple, outpatient surgery to help our patients with lower back and leg pain in need of a fusion, all with a very small incision. This can help remove pain and improve function of our patients.”
In a recent study conducted by the National Pain and Spine Centers, 32 patients aged 57-89 were treated with Aurora ZIP® lumbar fusion. Patients experienced a pain reduction of 67% (pre-operative pain assessment score of 8.1 versus post-operative pain assessment score of 2.65). Adverse event rate was 0% with no incidences of reoperation or device removal. Estimated blood loss was recorded as less than 50cc for all patients.