A new lumbar disc replacement system, called the XL TDR, was used for the first time in February at Tampa General Hospital on a 43-year-old, female patient. The device uses a minimally invasive lateral (side) approach to the spine and is designed to restore height and replicate the motion characteristics of an intact healthy disc.
XL TDR is a metallic prosthetic joint or total disc replacement that takes the place of a degenerative intervertebral disc. The first-time surgery on a patient in Florida was performed by Dr. Juan Uribe, neurosurgeon with
USF Health and
Tampa General.
"The minimally invasive extreme lateral total disc replacement is a great alternative for the management of select patients with degenerative disc disease," Uribe says.
Compared to traditional posterior (back) or anterior (front) approaches, this innovative and lateral technique provides the least amount of tissue disruption to the muscles, ligaments, blood vessels and abdominal organs.
The XL TDR will be evaluated in a clinical trial that includes 200 patients across an estimated 15 clinical investigation sites. The full enrollment timeframe is approximately between 12 and 18 months.
Writer:
Nancy VaughnSource: Dr. Juan Uribe, Tampa General
Enjoy this story?
Sign up for free solutions-based reporting in your inbox each week.