OsseoFix® Fixes Mrs. Hicks! Back to work in just two months!

In June, 2010, Mrs. Hicks, a familiar face behind the counters of Blackbird Bakery in Bristol, TN, experienced such severe pain in her lower back that it caused her to be bed ridden for several weeks. When she experienced no improvement, she decided to consult Dr. Morgan Lorio of NeuroSpine Solutions in Bristol, TN. Dr. Lorio found that Mrs. Hicks had actually fractured a bone in her lower back, known as a lumbar vertebral body, (See Figure 1 and 2). After 6 weeks of conservative treatment, such as pain medication, anti-inflammatories, and bed rest, Mrs. Hicks continued to be in debilitating pain, impairing her spirits and her normal lifestyle. Dr. Lorio and Mrs. Hicks decided to take action and operate.

Dr. Lorio suggested a new system for the repair of vertebral compression factures (VCFs) – the OsseoFix Vertebral Body Fracture Reduction System which is manufactured by Alphatec Spine. The OsseoFix system is in an IDE study with the FDA, and is a minimally invasive procedure that enables a surgeon to perform the entire procedure through a small incision with the help of tubular, elongated instruments. This means less trauma to the patient, quicker recovery time than traditional more invasive procedures, less blood loss, faster surgery time, and a quicker return to normal daily activities. The OsseoFix system generally takes less than 30 minutes to complete. Dr. Lorio especially likes that in his experience the OsseoFix procedure uses less bone cement – potentially 40% less than other VCF systems available, and it allows him to control exactly where the implant goes and how the fracture is stabilized from outside the body.

On July 6, 2010, Dr. Lorio performed the OsseoFix procedure on Mrs. Hicks. He stabilized and reduced the L2 vertebra with two OsseoFix implants in 46 minutes. Mrs. Hicks left the hospital the same day with only band-aids and more importantly, pain free!

At Mrs. Hicks’ 4-week follow up appointment, Dr. Lorio was very pleased with the results. He knew that the device had done its job and gave her back the life she had and wanted! Mrs. Hicks is once again serving fresh coffee, donuts, pies, and pastries at the local Blackbird Bakery located on Piedmont Avenue in downtown Bristol, TN. (See Figure 3 and 4)

Perhaps best summed by the patient herself, Mrs. Hicks "I would do it all over again to feel this good".

The OsseoFix Vertebral Body Fracture Reduction system is an investigational device in the United States, undergoing an FDA IDE trial. The OsseoFix® system was released in the European Union in December 2008 and has been used in over 1,550 patients.

There are risks involved with any surgical procedure and outcomes can vary. For more information on the study or if you are interested in participating, please contact OsseoFix Clinical Trial at 1-800-339-0562.