Carl Lauryssen, MD, a spine surgeon with NeuroTexas, will be co-principal investigator of the study for the M6-C Artificial spinal disc at Lakeway Regional Medical Center.
Here are five key notes:
1. Lakeway Regional Medical Center was named an FDA clinical study site for the M6-C artificial disc. The trial compares single-level cervical disc replacement to single-level cervical fusion.
2. Mark Burnett, MD, Douglas Fox, MD, and Michael Webb, MD, will join Dr. Lauryssen as investigators in the study at Lakeway Regional.
3. The M6-C artificial disc is designed to help patients with degenerative disc disease. The technology is designed to restore natural physiologic motion to the spine. It's the only artificial disc replicating the anatomic structure and biomechanics of the natural disc with an artificial nucleus and annulus.
4. The M6 was introduced internationally in 2006 and became the market leader in Europe and other international markets. The disc is available in 27 countries worldwide and there are 30,000 implantations to date.
5. Spinal Kinetics completed the FDA-approved pilot study of the M6-C and received approval to initiate the current trial.
"We are very excited to participate in this important clinical trial," said Dr. Lauryssen. "The M6-C has an excellent track record overseas and we are happy to finally bring this advancement to our patient base here in the U.S. as part of this clinical study."