MEDTRONIC CLAIMS “FIRST” IN LATERAL ACCESS SPINE SURGERY (Orthopedics This Week)
Medtronic, Inc. says it has scored a first by introducing the first procedure that allows lateral access to the most common operative level of the spine. According to an October 21, 2013, announcement, the OLIF51 procedure enables reproducible lateral access to the L5-S1 disc space.
“For the first time, along with the OLIF25 Procedure, the surgeon community has a combination of procedures that offer an extensive approach to all levels of the lower lumbar spine in one patient positioning,” said Richard Hynes, M.D., spine surgeon at The B.A.C.K. Center in Melbourne, Florida.
Referred to as Oblique Lateral Interbody Fusion for L5-S1, this procedure, says the company, eliminates the need to reposition the patient during surgery and incorporates Medtronic’s comprehensive surgical platform of access, interbody, neuromonitoring, navigation, fixation and biologic options,” said stated the announcement.
Doug King, Medtronic Spine’s president and Medtronic senior vice president, said, “With the launch of the OLIF51 Procedure, Medtronic has aligned with expressed needs from the global surgeon community for proced...
