Baron Lonner, MD, of New York City-based Mount Sinai Health System, performed the first spinal tethering surgery in New York City to correct idiopathic scoliosis.
What you should know:
1. Dr. Lonner used the Tether Vertebral Body Tethering System, which was approved by the FDA in August 2019.
2. Tether uses a set of screws and anchors that are implanted along a flexible cord. The system can then be tightened to correct spinal curvature over time.
3. The device is an alternative to spinal fusion and is the only device approved by the FDA for non-fusion scoliosis correction.
4. Dr. Lonner is the chief of minimally invasive scoliosis surgery at Mount Sinai.