Orthopedic surgeon Matt Hollenbeck, MD, has performed Kansas' first successful vertebral body tethering procedure at Wesley Medical Center in Wichita, NBC affiliate KSN.com reported April 13.
The technology places screws in a flexible tether or rope, "which allows the patient to be flexible and continue to have motion throughout the spine," Dr. Hollenbeck said.
The minimally invasive procedure is designed to maintain flexibility and lead to fewer problems than patients have post-spinal fusion.
Dr. Hollenbeck said one or two other patients are scheduled for the VBT procedure at the hospital.
The FDA approved the first spinal tether system for pediatric patients with idiopathic scoliosis in August 2019. Designed by Zimmer Biomet, the Tether System is being evaluated through a patient registry to assess its long-term performance.
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