St. David's Round Rock (Texas) Medical Center is participating in a study of a new implant designed to treat back pain as an alternative to spinal fusion.
Here are four things to know:
1. Premia Spine's Total Posterior Spine System is an artificial joint designed to maintain and preserve the spine's stability and motion.
2. The TOPS implant is aimed at treating patients with lower leg and back pain caused by slipped vertebrae or narrowing of the spinal canal.
3. Designed to support the patient's two vertebrae, the implant allows the vertebrae to move normally without the need for fusion.
4. St. David's Round Rock is one of 30 U.S. hospitals participating in the study, which consists of comparing the effectiveness of the TOPS implant to lumbar fusion.