Neurosurgeon Steven Zielinski, MD, is performing lumbar fusions with metal-free technology, according to local news outlet Crossroads Today.
Dr. Zielinski is the founder of Waco-based Texas Spine and Neurosurgery, which claims to be the first U.S. practice offering lumbar fusions without screws or metal.
Minimizing the use of metal and foreign objects in the body results in less blood loss and less trauma to the spine, according to Dr. Zielinski.
"A lot of people are hesitant about having spine surgery because they're afraid of" having metal implanted, Dr. Zielinski told Crossroads Today. "Knowing that we could actually provide a form of cure that patients want is very comforting."