X STOP^® Is a Major Advance in the Treatment of Lumbar Spinal Stenosis

There is new hope for the many men and women who suffer from lumbar spinal stenosis, a common back problem that occurs when arthritic joints in the spine narrow the spinal canal and pinch the nerve roots.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently approved a new minimally invasive treatment for lumbar spinal stenosis called the Interspinous Process Decompression System (X STOP^®).

"The X STOP procedure is a very signifi cant improvement in the treatment of lumbar spinal stenosis," says Robert Lins, MD, a board-certified spine surgeon on staff at Wellington Regional Medical Center. "It is a safe and effective procedure that can offer lasting results to patients who have been suffering from debilitating pain in the back and legs for years."

Dr. Lins was one of the fi rst 20 surgeons in the country trained to implant the X STOP and the fi rst surgeon in South Florida to perform the X STOP procedure. Wellington Regional is now a designated X STOP training center where Dr. Lins teaches other visiting surgeons how to perform this innovative procedure.

How It Works
The X STOP procedure takes less than an hour to perform. While a patient is under local anesthesia, Dr. Lins makes a small incision in the lower back and gently moves the back muscles aside. Then, he inserts titanium spacers between the bones of the spine to make more room for the nerves.

"The spacers prop open the joints so they don't press on the nerves and cause symptoms," Dr. Lins says. "Patients can often go home the same day. Many patients can walk right away and resume their normal activities in a matter of weeks."

Dr. Lins says the X STOP procedure is a major advance for patients because conservative treatments, including physical therapy and spinal injections, are not always effective. The X STOP procedure is also much easier on patients than open surgery for spinal stenosis, which involves removing part of the lamina -- the thin, bony layer covering the spinal canal -- then fusing some of the vertebrae in the back.

"Patients who have traditional spine surgery for stenosis often face lengthy hospital stays, postoperative pain, and the risk for bleeding and other complications," Dr. Lins says. "Recovery is typically long and painful, and many patients fi nd that the surgery doesn't help them the way they had hoped."

Is X STOP for You?
If you suffer from symptoms of lumbar spinal stenosis, talk with your doctor. The X STOP procedure may be an option for you. The FDA has approved X STOP for those who:

• Are age 50 or older.
• Have confi rmed diagnoses of lumbar spinal stenosis.
• Have pain or cramping in their backs or legs that improves when sitting, lying down or fl exing their spines forward.
• Have tried other nonsurgical treatments.

"We can offer the X STOP procedure to many patients who aren't candidates for traditional surgery," Dr. Lins says. "Most patients, even those who have other medical conditions, tolerate the X STOP procedure well."

For more information about the X STOP procedure, please call 561-803-8580.

Robert Lins, MD, completed his orthopedic surgery residency at Duke University in Durham, N.C., along with a spine surgery fellowship through the orthopedic and neurosurgical departments. He has also completed a hand and peripheral nerve fellowship at Harvard Medical School in Boston and an AO International Fellowship in Berne, Switzerland.

Dr. Lins has been the recipient of research grants, published numerous scientifi c publications and book chapters, and has lectured both nationally and internationally. Previous teaching and faculty appointments include Clinical Associate, Duke University Medical Center, Division of Orthopedic Surgery.

He is an associate of The Center for Bone and Joint Surgery of the Palm Beaches with offi ces on the campus of Wellington Regional and in Royal Palm Beach. He may be reached at 561-803-8580 or www.palmbeachspinesurgery.com.

Wellington Regional Medical Center, 10101 Forest Hill Blvd. Wellington, FL 33414 (561) 798-8500