The renowned experts at the San Francisco Spine Institute at Seton Medical Center are taking part in research to find the next generation of treatments for severe back pain. The Spine Institute is currently enrolling eligible patients in an important national clinical trial to test the effectiveness of the TOPS System, an implantable device designed to address a common problem called spinal stenosis—a painful narrowing of the spine that can develop in people who suffer back injuries or have scoliosis or arthritis.
Many spinal stenosis patients end up needing a spinal fusion, a complex surgery to stabilize vertebrae by fusing them together. “For the estimated 120,000 Americans who have fusion surgeries each year, the TOPS System could be an effective alternative,” says Seton Spine Surgeon Paul Slosar, M.D. “Rather than fusing the spine with rigid titanium rods, the TOPS System allows motion.” For more information on this trial or other advanced spinal treatments at the San Francisco Spine Institute, call 650.985.7500.
