Treatment for Spinal Stenosis -- 718.246.8610 

A new minmally invasive surgical procedure that relieves the symptoms associated with lumbar spinal stenosis (narrowing of the spinal canal) is now available at New York Methodist Hospital.

Lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS), which primarily affects individuals over the age of 50, often results from bone overgrowth that places pressure on spinal nerves, in turn causing pain and/or discomfort.  People with LSS often find that the disease limits daily activities like walking and standing, which increases the symptoms of spinal stenosis.  Symptoms associated with spinal stenosis include dull or aching back pain that spreads to the legs, weakness or loss of balance, and numbness and " pins and needles" in legs, calves or buttocks.

In the United States, LSS is the primary reason for back surgery in people over the age of 65.  The most common type of surgery to treat stenosis (laminectomy) requires the removal of various parts of the vertebrae, leaving a part of the spinal cord exposed.  The operation takes about two hours.

The new procedure now being performed at New York Methodist Hospital, involves placement of an implant, called the X-STOP device, between two bones in the back of the spine to widen the canal and alleviate the symptoms of spinal stenosis.  Once the implant is in place, the bone overgrowth no longer comes in contact with the nerves and the symptoms are alleviated. This new procedure decreases the risks of medical complications associated with traditional surgery used to treat LSS and can be performed in under an hour with the use of local anesthesia.

The X-STOP devide is designed to remian safely and permanently in place.

Patients who undergo this procedure are able to go home the very same day instead of spending a few nights in the hospital to recover, as they would with traditional surgery. A good canidate for X-STOP is a patient whose physical function is moderately impaired or one who might not be able to undergo traditional surgery because of health reasons.

For more information, call 718.246.8610.