Clinical Experience and Two Year Follow up With a One-Piece Viscoelastic Cervical Total Disc Replacement

By Dr. Kingsley Chin

Scientific Paper

Kingsley Richard Chin, Jacob Ryan Lubinski, Kari Bracher Zimmers, Barry Eugene Sands, Fabio Pencle

Interested medical professionals can read through the full paper, as published in the Journal of Spine Surgery, here.

The AxioMed Freedom Cervical Disc

Background

The purpose of this study is to present clinical outcome data from a 2-year post-market study of a viscoelastic one-piece cervical total disc replacement (TDR) in Europe.

Methods

Thirty-nine patients were implanted at five surgical sites in an European post-market clinical study. Clinical outcomes included improvement of neck disability index (NDI) and visual analog scale scores for neck and arm pain from baseline to 2-year follow-up, neurological examinations, patients view on the success of surgery, complications, and subsequent surgical interventions..

Results

Thirty patients had the Freedom® Cervical Disc (FCD) implanted at a single level, and nine patients were implanted at two adjacent levels. The population had a similar distribution of male [20] and female [19] subjects, with a mean age of 45 years. All self-administered outcome measures showed significant clinically important improvements from baseline to the 2-year follow-up. Mean preoperative NDI score improved from 48% to 20%, 13%, 8%, 6% and 4% at 6 weeks, 3, 6, 12, and 24 months, respectively. Average preoperative visual analog scale (VAS) scores of the neck, right and left arm pain intensity and frequency showed significant improvement. All neurological outcome measurements showed immediate improvement from preoperative values and continued improvement throughout 2 years follow-up. From pre-op to 24 months, neurological deficits declined in the population from 21% to 6% for reflex function, 62% to 17% for sensory function, and 38% to 3% for motor function. No patients experienced a deterioration in any measured outcomes compared with the preoperative situation. Patient satisfaction increased over 2 years post-op, with 83% of patients responding that they would “definitely” choose to have the same treatment for their neck/arm condition and another 11% responding that they would “probably” choose to have the same treatment.

Lateral flexion and extension X-rays of TDR at C6/C7 at 2 years. TDR, total disc replacement.

Lateral flexion and extension X-rays of TDRs at C5/C6 and C6/C7 at 1 year. TDR, total disc replacement.

Conclusions

The FCD performs as expected in patients with single-level and two-level degenerative disc disease.

About Author Dr. Kingsley R. Chin

Dr. Kingsley R. Chin, Founder of philosophy and practice of The LES Society and The LESS Institute

Dr. Kingsley R. Chin, Founder of philosophy and practice of The LES Society and The LESS Institute

Dr. Kingsley R. Chin is a board-certified Harvard-trained Orthopedic Spine Surgeon and Professor with copious business and information technology exposure. He sees a niche opportunity where medicine, business and info. tech meet – and is uniquely educated at the intersection of these three professions. He has experience as Professor of Clinical Biomedical Sciences & Admissions Committee Member at the Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine at Florida Atlantic University, Professor of Clinical Orthopedic Surgery at the Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine at Florida International University, Assistant Professor of Orthopaedics at the University of Pennsylvania Medical School, Visiting Spine Surgeon & Professor at the University of the West Indies, Mona, and Adjunct Professor of Clinical Biomedical Sciences at the University of Technology, Jamaica.

Learn more about Dr. Chin here and connect via LinkedIn.

About Less Exposure Surgery

Less Exposure Surgery (LES) is based on a new philosophy of performing surgery, leading the charge to prove through bench and clinical outcomes research that LES treatment options are the best solutions – to lowering the cost of healthcare, improving outcomes and increasing patient satisfaction. Learn more at LESSociety.org.

The LES Society philosophy: “Tailor treatment to the individual aiding in the quickest recovery and return to a pain-free lifestyle, using LES® techniques that lessen exposure, preserve unoffending anatomy and utilize new technologies which are safe, easy to adopt and reproducible. These LES®techniques lessen blood loss, surgical time and exposure to radiation and can be safely performed in an outpatient center. Less is more.” – Kingsley R. Chin, MD

About The LESS Institute

The LESS Institute is the world leader center of excellence in Less Exposure Surgery. Our safe, effective outpatient treatments help patients recover quickly, avoid expensive hospital stays and return home to their family the same day. Watch our patient stories, follow us on Facebook and visit TheLESSInstitute.com to learn more.

Scientific Paper Author & Citation Details

Authors

Kingsley Richard Chin¹, Jacob Ryan Lubinski¹, Kari Bracher Zimmers¹, Barry Eugene Sands², Fabio Pencle³

Author information

¹AxioMed LLC, Malden, MA, USA; ²RQMIS, Inc. Amesbury, MA, USA; ³Less Exposure Surgery Society, Malden, MA, USA Contributions: (I) Conception and design: All authors; (II) Administrative support: KB Zimmers, BE Sands; (III) Provision of study materials or patients: BE Sands; (IV) Collection and assembly of data: BE Sands; (V) Data analysis and interpretation: BE Sands, KB Zimmers; (VI) Manuscript writing: All authors; (VII) Final approval of manuscript: All authors. Correspondence to: Kari Bracher Zimmers. AxioMed LLC, Malden, MA, USA. Email: kzimmers@axiomed.com

Eligibility of Outpatient Spine Surgery Candidates in a Single Private Practice

By Dr. Kingsley Chin

Here, Becker’s ASC Review highlights 4 key points from this LES Society study conducted in part by The LESS Institute team.

Scientific Paper

Chin KR1,2, Pencle FJR2, Coombs AV3, Packer CF3, Hothem EA3, Seale JA2.

Interested medical professionals can read through the full paper, also published in Clinical Spine Surgery, here.

Study Design

Level III.

Purpose

To retrospectively review the eligibility of surgical patients meeting predetermined outpatient surgery criteria in a single-surgeon private practice.

Summary of Background Data

There is a burgeoning awareness among patients, surgeons, and insurers of the cost benefits and safety of outpatient spine surgeries. At the end of 2014, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services have released its final 2015 payment rules and codes for spinal decompression and fusion. This move confirms the safety of procedures being performed in the ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs).

Methods

We conducted a database review between 2008 and 2014 and identified 1625 orthopedic procedures. All nonsurgical spine procedures were excluded from the study. Eligibility for outpatient spine surgery was based on criteria generated from a combination of published standard of care for major operations and the chief surgeon’s experience. A matched cohort based on type of surgery in each facility of all spine surgery patients was created, group 1 (hospital patients) and group 2 (ASC patients).

Results

A total of 708 patients underwent spinal surgery during this time period with a 53% female population. A total of 557 of 708 (79%) patients were eligible for outpatient spine surgery. There were 210 surgical procedures in group 1 (inpatient) comprised of 72 decompression and 138 fusion procedures. In group 2 (outpatient), there were 347 procedures made up of 150 patients undergoing decompression and 197 undergoing fusion or disc replacement. To confirm that hospital procedures are eligible to be performed in the ASC, the χ test was performed. We found that ASC-eligible hospital patients can indeed be done in an ASC (P=0.037).

Conclusions

Outpatient spine surgery is feasible in 79% of patients in this single-surgeon private practice. On the basis of these results, a majority of spine procedures can be performed in an outpatient setting following our eligibility criteria.

About Author Dr. Kingsley R. Chin

Dr. Kingsley R. Chin, founder of philosophy and practice of The LES Society and The LESS Institute

Dr. Kingsley R. Chin is a board-certified Harvard-trained Orthopedic Spine Surgeon and Professor with copious business and information technology exposure. He sees a niche opportunity where medicine, business and info. tech meet – and is uniquely educated at the intersection of these three professions. He has experience as Professor of Clinical Biomedical Sciences & Admissions Committee Member at the Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine at Florida Atlantic University, Professor of Clinical Orthopedic Surgery at the Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine at Florida International University, Assistant Professor of Orthopaedics at the University of Pennsylvania Medical School, Visiting Spine Surgeon & Professor at the University of the West Indies, Mona, and Adjunct Professor of Clinical Biomedical Sciences at the University of Technology, Jamaica.

Learn more about Dr. Chin here and connect via LinkedIn.

About Less Exposure Surgery

Less Exposure Surgery (LES) is based on a new philosophy of performing surgery, leading the charge to prove through bench and clinical outcomes research that LES treatment options are the best solutions – to lowering the cost of healthcare, improving outcomes and increasing patient satisfaction. Learn more at LESSociety.org.

The LES Society philosophy: “Tailor treatment to the individual aiding in the quickest recovery and return to a pain-free lifestyle, using LES® techniques that lessen exposure, preserve unoffending anatomy and utilize new technologies which are safe, easy to adopt and reproducible. These LES®techniques lessen blood loss, surgical time and exposure to radiation and can be safely performed in an outpatient center. Less is more.” – Kingsley R. Chin, MD

About The LESS Institute

The LESS Institute is the world leader center of excellence in Less Exposure Surgery. Our safe, effective outpatient treatments help patients recover quickly, avoid expensive hospital stays and return home to their family the same day. Watch our patient stories, follow us on Facebook and visit TheLESSInstitute.com to learn more.

About SpineFrontier

The above study utilized LES Technology from SpineFrontier – leading provider of LES Technologies and instruments – offering surgeons and patients superior technology and services.

Scientific Paper Author & Citation Details

Authors

Chin KR1,2, Pencle FJR2, Coombs AV3, Packer CF3, Hothem EA3, Seale JA2.

Author information

1. Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine at Florida International University and Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine at Florida Atlantic University.

2. Less Exposure Surgery Specialists Institute (LESS Institute).

3. Less Exposure Surgery Society (LES Society).

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Feel Jollier All Season Long with These Healthy Holiday Choices

By Abagail Sullivan

Content compiled by Esther Rodriguez & Ana Williams

The holidays are so close, we can practically taste that home cooked comfort food. With all the creaminess and goodness it’s no wonder the average American gains a few pounds between Thanksgiving and New Years. Fortunately for us, this season doesn’t have to consist of dodging one food-focused frenzy after another. We can still enjoy the same delicious flavors we love, while cutting unhealthy fat and making a few tweaks to the classics – creating an all around healthier holiday.

Mashed Potatoes

Did you know that with every spoonful of mashed potatoes you serve yourself, you’re adding heaps of empty carbs and calories – and that’s before the added goodies like butter, gravy & cheese!? Stay light on your feet by making mashed cauliflower instead. It has the same texture and similar flavor – while staying a lot more belly-friendly.

Pies

Pie is an American classic, but try substituting one on your dessert table for baked, roasted or grilled fruit. If you’re a peach cobbler fan, try grilled peaches! This way, your guests will get the fruity sweetness they crave, minus the buttery, carb-heavy, calorie-dense crust.

Green Bean Casserole

Creamy green bean casserole is a go-to tradition for the turkey-day table (and a sorry excuse for a veggie!) With fried onions, butter, cheese, salt and cream of mushroom soup, this side’s ingredients are far from friendly. Toss in some oven-roasted Brussels sprouts for a savory, fiber-packed veggie or stick with the green bean classic, but sauté them over low heat in extra virgin olive oil and season with sea salt & black pepper instead.

Creamed Spinach

Spinach is a source of a lot of goodies for our body – like fiber, vitamins A, C, E & K, folate, calcium, iron and more – but when we load that with saturadated fats, the whole “health” aspect is sort of rendered useless. This year, sauté those leafy greens in heart-healthy extra virgin olive oil and garlic, or toss a spinach salad – dressed with balsamic vinaigrette and topped with sliced apples or peas & toasted walnuts or pecans for added flair.

Stuffing

In place of a heavy, white-bread loaded side dish, try quinoa, couscous or faro-based stuffing to cut down on cholesterol, saturated fat and empty carbohydrates. When these grains are blended with all the other stuffing ingredients, you won’t even be able to taste the difference between the traditional vs. healthy versions. 

Sweet Potato Casserole

We know, the melted marshmallows and brown sugar are to die for! But this year, try drizzling your baked sweet potatoes with a sauce made from extra virgin coconut oil, maple syrup, fresh grated ginger and pumpkin pie spice. While the syrup adds sugar, it acts as an unrefined form of the sweetener, which contains more natural nutrients.

Sour Cream

Our holiday favorites that “require” sour cream – from mashed potatoes to casseroles and sauces – can so simply be made healthier by subbing in nonfat Greek yogurt. And there’s no need to increase the amount – just a dash of ‘plain’ incorporated in the recipe, and your dish is just as delicious as it would be with its creamy cousin counterpart.

What approachable healthy holiday choices do you make? Next up, we’ll cover “amping up your healthy holiday” – highlighting ways in which we can get foster a healthier seasonal environment.

Inspired by Health.com’s 20 Healthy Holiday Food Swaps You Need to Try

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Maximum Flavor, Minimal Guilt: Six Surprising Pumpkin Health Benefits

By Abagail Sullivan

It’s a fruit! It’s a squash! It’s a PUMPKIN. 

Who doesn’t love pumpkin season? From classic decor to seasonally tasty treats, this fall favorite has become a true symbol of autumn. Luckily for us, this season’s ‘superfood’ has health benefits galore – and doesn’t have to be another major indulgence among holiday madness. Check out these six good-to-know pumpkin health benefits, fostering maximum flavor and minimal guilt.

Content compiled by Esther Rodriguez & Ana Williams of The LESS Institute

Clear That Vision
Filled with beta-carotene and almost twice the recommended daily intake of vitamin A, a pumpkin’s bright orange hue promotes good vision – especially in dim light, according to the National Institutes of Health.

Keep Your Hunger at Bay
Pumpkin seeds are not only fun to eat, they’re high in fiber – which helps keep you full longer and promotes digestion.

Ward off Disease
A serving of pumpkin can contain 50% of your daily recommended vitamin K, which has recently been found to safely suppress the growth of some cancers.

Promote Your Healthiest Heart
Pumpkin seeds are also rich in potassium, vitamin C, and essential fats that can help lower the risk of hypertension and contribute to a healthy heart.

Sleep like a Baby
Can you feel that Thanksgiving-day sleepiness already? The tryptophan found in pumpkin seeds is that feel-good amino acid that helps you relax and unwind. Pumpkin seeds promote better sleep – so go ahead, take that post-Turkey-day nap!

Foster Positive Vibes
Ask someone what their favorite holiday is and chances are, it’s Thanksgiving. The serotonin found in pumpkins is known to improve the mood of those consuming this flavored pie – so it’s no wonder fall holidays are the happiest time of year.

Check back for more helpful health & wellness tips from our LESS Institute team – and let us know your favorite pumpkin health benefits (and topics you’d like to see covered), below!

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Five (More) Quick Fixes for a Healthy Diet

By Abagail Sullivan

A Dietitian Gives us the Skinny on Healthy Eating

Content by Kristina Ghafari, MS, RD, LDN, guest contributor

1. Shop the perimeter of the grocery store.

   This ensures you’re shopping mostly for produce, proteins and dairy.

2. Make sure you have lean protein in your diet.

   Lean protein, along with fiber and healthy fats, help with satiety to keep you feeling fuller longer, which can be extremely helpful for weight loss and maintenance. Some good sources of lean protein are: fish, turkey, chicken, beans, egg whites, cottage cheese and Greek yogurt.

3. Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate.

   Sometimes when you feel hungry, your body is actually thirsty. Try drinking a glass of water before you eat something.  Thirst is also a late sign of dehydration -so when your brain tells you you’re thirsty, you’re already somewhat dehydrated.

4. Cut down on foods that can cause inflammation.

   The most common offenders are gluten and dairy. Inflammation in your body can set the stage for heart disease, diabetes and other chronic conditions.[1]
   

5. Tweak your meal plan.

   Tweaking your meal pattern is just as important as the types of food you consume for a healthy diet. Try to eat 5-6 smaller meals daily. Frequent meals help keep your blood sugar stable and your metabolism active.

[1] http://www.health.harvard.edu/family_health_guide/what-you-eat-can-fuel-or-cool-inflammation-a-key-driver-of-heart-disease-diabetes-and-other-chronic-conditions

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Wellness Wednesdays: Safety on the Job

By Abagail Sullivan

The importance of safety on the job goes far beyond the individual – it affects families, careers and futures.

The LESS Institute is proud to be Department of Labor (DOL) approved to receive worker’s compensation patients in their network, as well as in Rockport Healthcare Network – a national network services solution. In 2016 alone, there were 7,406 DOL Workers’ Compensation claims involving the back.

The following stats show the surprising number of workers in Florida who injure their backs while on the job.

If you’ve been injured on the job, resulting in back and neck pain, call the LESS Institute at 1-855-411-LESS for a consult today. We are enrolled and ready to help.

And check out the following resources for information pertaining to Workers’ Compensation in Florida:

http://www.myfloridacfo.com/division/wc/employee/faq.htm

http://www.myfloridacfo.com/Division/WC/pdf/WC-System-Guide.pdf

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Working Alongside the LESS Institute: an Intern’s Gratitude

By Abagail Sullivan

The LESS Institute is so proud to have hosted Sema Santana, a high school junior from Arizona, for one week during an internship at our Florida offices. During her time, Sema was able to experience the fields of orthopedic surgery, sports medicine and chiropractic medicine by spending time with some world class providers. Big thank you to Bommarito Performance Systems and the office of Dr. Zev Mellman for taking the time to allow her into your top notch facilities! Below are kind words from Sema herself, of her experience with the LESS Institute and beyond.

Hello Mr. and Mrs. Chin,

I would first like to say how thankful I am to have gotten the chance to work with the both of you, your team, the people at the Bommarito Performance Center, and Dr. Mellman himself. Not only was this internship a great experience for me, but it was also very interesting and I was able to learn a lot. This internship allowed me an inside look of what some of the medical field entails. It was very impressive to see how well both you, Vanessa, and Dr. Chin run your practices, in the sense that you guys work in an organized, yet efficient way. Many would think that the medical field is hectic, though it can be in some cases, but you all work as a team, which was very refreshing to see and experience. Although, spinal orthopedics isn’t the field I personally want to pursue, it was very interesting to see what Dr. Chin does on the daily, and it was amazing to have had the chance to observe surgeries this early in life. It was truly amazing to see a surgeon be able to fix something as complex as the human body. It was also very interesting to see athletes work at a professional level. This experience also gave me an inside look at athletic training at a professional level, which only made me more excited for the future. Even though I only got to work with Dr. Mellman for a couple of hours, it was very interesting to see a different side of spinal care. Although, it was amazing to see how to fix the spine, it was very interesting to see how doctors work to prevent the spine from getting injured. Learning the true meaning of Chiropractic Medicine was very eye opening for me, and was truly a great learning experience. All in all, I would again like to say thank you to all of you for this amazing experience I had and that I will never forget. But, I would like to especially thank Dr. Chin for letting me learn under him, and teaching me that a big part of being successful is to keep working at your goal, and that you need to work as a team. Also, thank you Vanessa for all that you have done, it was a great experience for me because of you and all your hard work. Thank you for letting me into your home and your lives, it’s something I will never forget.

Hopefully, I can visit again. I honestly cannot say thank you enough!

Sincerely,

Irasema Santana

Sema with Vanessa Chin of the LESS Institute

With interest in working alongside our team, contact the LESS Institute at 1 855 411 LESS.

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Clinical Outcomes With Midline Cortical Bone Trajectory Pedicle Screws Versus Traditional Pedicle Screws in Moving Lumbar Fusions From Hospitals to Outpatient Surgery Centers

By Dr. Kingsley Chin

Scientific Paper

Chin KR1, Pencle FJR, Coombs AV, Elsharkawy M, Packer CF, Hothem EA, Seale JA.

Interested medical professionals can read through the full paper, also published in Clinical Spine Surgery, here.

Study Design

Level III.

Objective

To report on the outcomes of midline cortical bone trajectory (CBT) pedicle screw surgical technique for posterior lumbar fixation in the outpatient surgery center (OSC) compared with traditional pedicle screws in the hospital.

Summary of Background Data

Traditional pedicle screws have been the gold standard for posterior lumbar fusion. Advances in spine surgery, including less invasive procedures have propelled the design of instruments and implants to achieve greater posterior spinal fixation, with decreased tissue destruction and higher safety margins. Biomechanical studies have validated the superior pullout strength of cortical screws versus the traditional pedicle screws and represent an opportunity to perform safe lumbar fusions in OSCs with same day discharge.

Materials & Methods

The medical records of 60 patients with prospectively collected data were reviewed. Two matched cohort groups consisting of 30 patients each, CBT pedicle screws performed in OSC patients (group 1) was compared with traditional pedicle screws performed in hospital patients (group 2). Outcomes were assessed with self-reported Visual Analog Scale (VAS) scores, Oswestry Disability Index scores, and radiologic fusion rate.

Results

Totally, 33 males and 27 females, age range (28-75), average 58±3 years. Average body mass index was 29±1.15 kg/m. A total of 65% of surgeries were at L5-S1 level. Significant improvement noted in VAS back pain scores in the OSC group from 7.8±0.5 to 2.5±0.7, P=0.001. Comparing intergroup VAS back pain scores and Oswestry Disability Index scores, OSC group demonstrated significant improvement, P=0.004 and 0.027, respectively. Fusion rate at 2 years was similar, P=0.855 between groups.

Conclusions

We successfully transitioned our lumbar fusions from hospitals to OSCs using a midline CBT pedicle screw technique. Although traditional pedicle screw placement is effective and may be viable in an OSC, we see more advantages to use midline cortical screws over traditional pedicle screws.

About Author Dr. Kingsley R. Chin

Dr. Kingsley R. Chin is a board-certified Harvard-trained Orthopedic Spine Surgeon and Professor with copious business and information technology exposure. He sees a niche opportunity where medicine, business and info. tech meet – and is uniquely educated at the intersection of these three professions. He has experience as Professor of Clinical Biomedical Sciences & Admissions Committee Member at the Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine at Florida Atlantic University, Professor of Clinical Orthopedic Surgery at the Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine at Florida International University, Assistant Professor of Orthopaedics at the University of Pennsylvania Medical School, Visiting Spine Surgeon & Professor at the University of the West Indies, Mona, and Adjunct Professor of Clinical Biomedical Sciences at the University of Technology, Jamaica.

Learn more about Dr. Chin here and connect via LinkedIn.

About Less Exposure Surgery

Less Exposure Surgery (LES) is based on a new philosophy of performing surgery, leading the charge to prove through bench and clinical outcomes research that LES treatment options are the best solutions – to lowering the cost of healthcare, improving outcomes and increasing patient satisfaction. Learn more at LESSociety.org.

The LES Society philosophy: “Tailor treatment to the individual aiding in the quickest recovery and return to a pain-free lifestyle, using LES® techniques that lessen exposure, preserve unoffending anatomy and utilize new technologies which are safe, easy to adopt and reproducible. These LES®techniques lessen blood loss, surgical time and exposure to radiation and can be safely performed in an outpatient center. Less is more.” – Kingsley R. Chin, MD

About The LESS Institute

The LESS Institute is the world leader center of excellence in Less Exposure Surgery. Our safe, effective outpatient treatments help patients recover quickly, avoid expensive hospital stays and return home to their family the same day. Watch our patient stories, follow us on Facebook and visit TheLESSInstitute.com to learn more.

About SpineFrontier

The above study utilized LES Technology from SpineFrontier – leading provider of LES Technologies and instruments – offering surgeons and patients superior technology and services.

Scientific Paper Author and Citation Details

Authors

Chin KR1, Pencle FJR, Coombs AV, Elsharkawy M, Packer CF, Hothem EA, Seale JA.

Author information

1. *Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine at Florida International University †Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine at Florida Atlantic University, Miami ‡Less Exposure Surgery Specialists Institute (LESS Institute) §Less Exposure Surgery (LES) Society, Fort Lauderdale, FL.

15-Year-Old Jamaican Girl Appreciates Life Changing Scoliosis Surgery in Jamaica by Dr. Kingsley R. Chin

By Caitlin Lubinski

On a late Saturday night in May, an unlikely group of people’s paths crossed in a small operating room in the University Hospital of the West Indies. It was hot, and beads of sweat formed on the doctors’ foreheads above their surgical masks. Outside the O.R., the windows in the hallways were open to catch the breeze that filtered through the open slats. The hallway was quiet, filled only with an empty gurney with a canvas stretcher and wood handles. A clock on the wall covered in a metal casing methodically tracked the passing moments.

Inside the O.R., Dr. Kingsley R. Chin, an orthopaedic surgeon and founder of Less Exposure Surgery Specialists (LESS) Institute in Florida, and Dr. Carl A. Bruce, a consultant neurosurgeon at the University of the West Indies at Mona Jamaica, operated on a fifteen year old young woman. Around them stood Kevin Chappuis, a medical technology engineer from SpineFrontier, Inc, Harisha Buggam, a medical device distributor in the West Indies, and the University’s Chief of Anesthesiology, Dr. Harding. The operation, a high level, scoliosis case, required that surgeons correct a deformity in the patient’s spine.

Shinel Binns, the patient lying on the operating table, was fit and healthy -a normal young woman in every way, except for the severe curve in her spine. Standing up, Shinel’s legs were perpendicular to the ground, but at her waist, her torso and head angled sharply to the left, as if she had to fight gravity from pulling her left shoulder and head to the ground. A lifetime of trying to hold her head and torso upright to counterbalance her lumbar spine’s deformity had begun to create a curve in her thoracic spine.

Shinel lived in Saint Elizabeth Parish –a two hour journey from the hospital she was now being treated at in Kingston, Jamaica. She and her family had waited a long time for this moment. She would never have been able to afford an operation, but the donated time from the doctors, and over $500,000 in donated technology and personnel from SpineFrontier, as well as her community’s donation of $5,000, was making her operation possible.

Dr. Kingsley R. Chin had flown in earlier that day from the United States. Born and raised in Jamaica, he often returned to perform surgeries for people in need. As a pioneer in the Less Exposure Surgery (LES®) approach, Chin has devoted his life to refining and training others in a revolutionary approach to back surgery. The LES Philosophy of surgery pinpoints the problem, fixes it without collateral damage to surrounding tissues, and lets patients go home the same day.

A patient examination and X-Rays had confirmed to the doctors that Shinel’s original spinal deformity was in the lumbar spine. Because the thoracic curve was compensatory to keep her upright, Dr. Chin and Dr. Bruce operated on the most pronounced section of the curve (L1-L4). Dr. Chin used a Less Exposure Surgery (LES) approach, addressing the most pronounced section of the spinal curve (L1-L4) by inserting SpineFrontier’s S-LIFT® Lateral Interbody through a single, three inch incision at those levels to straighten out the spine. The surgeons then placed unilateral MISquito® Percutaneous Pedicle Screws to hold the straightened position.

The LES approach through the small incision on the side of the abdomen was low impact and saved Shinel the trauma of an incision through her stabilizing back muscles that could disrupt her strength. It also minimized the surgical trauma and maximized its effectiveness for a rapid and less painful recovery. This approach was especially important because it would allow a teenage girl to resume her daily activities more quickly. The surgeons expected that the thoracic curve would straighten itself over time. After the operation, Shinel already felt straighter and only had minimal superficial pain.

Harisha Buggum, the medical device distributor, had observed several other scoliosis corrections before through the Scotiabank Scoliosis Programme that provided implants at a greatly reduced cost to teenagers with scoliosis. But she had a renewed sense of excitement when talking about Shinel’s operation.

“In this surgery, you could see the technology changing the deformity and you could see the spine literally straightening up through the fluoro imaging. It’s good to know technology has turned in the direction so that someone with scoliosis can actually get a correction from Less Exposure Surgery.””

“I’ve never seen that kind of procedure done,” Harisha said, leaning forward and talking energetically, “This was different for us than our day-to-day [procedures]. In this surgery, you could see the technology changing the deformity and you could see the spine literally straightening up through the fluoro imaging. It’s good to know technology has turned in the direction so that someone with scoliosis can actually get a correction from Less Exposure Surgery.”     

Harisha’s excitement over what she observed in the O.R. was just a small window into the many cases that Dr. Chin and his colleagues at the LESS Institute perform on a daily basis in the United States.

“This case is a perfect example of how Less Exposure Surgery can transform a patient’s life,” Chin commented.

Learn More About Less Exposure Surgery and connect with Dr. Kingsley R. Chin.

Wellness Wednesdays: Rest Up! May is “Better Sleep Month”

By Abagail Sullivan

Rest up! May is Better Sleep Month and we’re here to remind you of the major benefits of prioritizing your sleep – giving you even more reason to hit that snooze button.

Benefits of Sleep that Might Just Surprise You

Strengthen Your Memory Skills

Sleep can help strengthen memories and your brain can even practice previously learned skills while you’re at rest.

Get That Inflammation Under Control

People who get less than six hours of sleep a night have seen higher blood levels of inflammatory proteins; one study found that C-reactive protein – which is associated with heart attack risk – was higher in people of the same category.

Get Your Creative Juices Flowing

Sleep helps reset your mind and restructure your memories, fostering potential for a creative-revamp. Researchers at Harvard University and Boston College found that people seem to strengthen the emotional components of a memory during sleep – so maybe “sleeping on it” is a good idea after all.

Relieve That Nagging Pain

Getting just the right amount of rest is believed to help with chronic pain, as many studies have given evidence that lack of sleep can lower your pain threshold.

Change Your Mindset

The pure power of rejuvenation (and waking up on the right side of the bed) can improve your mood and set the tone for the rest of your day. Just don’t over-do it on the R&R, or you could have health effects to the other end of the spectrum!

For those who (attempt to) sleep with back pain…

Listen up, restless sleepers! Back pain can become a big pain when trying to achieve your best night’s sleep. Here are some tips to get you through the night.

Back sleepers: place a pillow under your knees to maintain the normal curve of your back.

Stomach sleepers: sleeping on your stomach can be detrimental in this realm, but if you can’t shake your go-to position, try placing a pillow under your pelvis and lower abs to reduce some of the strain on your lower back.

Side sleepers: place a pillow between your knees as you rest. Try a body pillow for full coverage!

We spend about ONE THIRD of our lives sleeping – so let’s enjoy it! Let us know what YOU do to snooze deeper, longer and all-around better. Share your tips and tricks to your best night’s rest yet.

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