Mark McFarland, DO, performed the first kyphoplasty with Stryker's SpineJack system in the Hampton Roads region of Virginia.
The surgery was done at Newport News, Va.-based Mercy Bon Secours Mary Immaculate Hospital, according to an Aug. 10 news release. The patient was a 90-year-old woman, and she was able to go home on the same day after the one-hour procedure.
"The Stryker SpineJack System provides that 'jack-like' structure to allow me to surgically expand the fractured vertebra into place, reduce and then cement it for stability and protection," Dr. McFarland said. "While not for the treatment of all spinal compression fractures, it's a real game-changer for my patients who need it the most."
SpineJack is an implantable fracture reduction device. CMS proposed extending new technology add-on payments for SpineJack and 13 other products.