PubMed published results of Inspired Spine's study on minimally invasive direct thoracic interbody fusion.
Here are seven things to know:
1. MIS-DTIF is a surgery intended to reduce back pain in patients with degenerative disc disease or disc herniation.
2. The Inspired Spine study involved four patients, analyzing patient-reported pain, operation time and complications.
3. The patients receiving MIS-DTIF reported significant back pain reduction.
4. On a 10-point scale, the patients reported an 8.8 score prior to surgery. Patients reported an average of 3.5 out of 10 points at the first follow-up postoperation.
5. The study found surgery time lasted about one hour and patients experienced hospital stays of about two days.
6. MIS-DTIF also decreased complication risk, because the minimally invasive approach does not require opening of the chest. Surgeon used real time biplane fluoroscopy X-ray imaging.
7. The procedure was developed in Minnesota.