Seton Medical Center’s Spine Care Services Performs First Total Posterior Arthroplasty Device in Bay Area as an Alternative to Spinal Fusion Surgery

Researchers at the San Francisco Spine Institute have enrolled the first local patient in a clinical trial to determine whether the TOPS™ System, a total posterior spine motion device designed to address the main posterior spine diseases, has the potential to help an estimated 120,000 Americans who undergo lumbar fusion each year. These patients suffer from debilitating leg and back pain stemming from spinal stenosis, a common back condition that may also be accompanied by degenerative spondylolisthesis and facet arthrosis.  The TOPS™ System is designed to stabilize the operative spine segment but does not fuse the affected vertebral level, potentially preserving mobility. The procedure was performed today at Seton Medical Center by Paul Slosar, M.D., orthopedic spine surgeon and President of the SpineCare Medical Group in Daly City, Calif. 

Dr. Slosar explained, "The key to success in treating patients with spinal stenosis is the decompression or laminectomy. This removes the pressure on the spinal canal and helps the nerves function normally. In many cases we have to then fuse the vertebrae together to prevent them from slipping into a poor position. Rather than fusing the spine with rigid titanium rods, the TOPS system allows motion.”

The San Francisco Spine Institute is one of several centers in the nation participating in the study, “Safety and Effectiveness Study of the TOPS System, a Total Posterior Arthroplasty Implant designed to alleviate pain resulting from moderate to severe lumbar stenosis,” a clinical trial examining the TOPS™ System as an alternative to spinal fusion for patients with late-stage degenerative pathologies.