Spinal News International e-newsletter

New surgical strategy offers hope for repairing spinal injuries

 Recently, scientists in the UK and Sweden developed a surgical technique to reconnect sensory neurons to the spinal cord after traumatic spinal injuries. They have now gained new insight into how the technique works at a cellular level by recreating it in rats. They report on the implications of this research for designing new therapies for injuries where the spinal cord itself is severed.

 Mainstay Medical’s ReActiv8 clinical trial passes enrolment mid-point

 Over half the required number of implants in Mainstay Medical’s ReActiv8-B clinical trial have been performed. The clinical trial is investigating the company’s novel multifidus stimulation device (ReActiv8), which is intended to help strengthen the muscle as a means to reduce back pain and disability.

 Video interview

 Max Aebi: Online learning will “fundamentally” change spinal education

 Spinal News International caught up with Max Aebi (Bern, Switzerland), executive chairman of eccElearning, at NSpine 2017. He discusses the ways that online learning platforms will transform medical education from large lecture-based conference teaching to digital lessons enriched by small, case-based meetings.

 Product news

 World’s first minimally-invasive spine surgery using Medicrea’s patient-specific implants performed

 The world’s first minimally-invasive spine surgery using patient-specific implants has been performed by Christopher J Kleck at the University of Colorado Hospital (Boulder, USA) using Medicrea’s UNiD Rod.

 First US surgeries performed using 4WEB Medical’s Lateral Spine Truss system

 The lateral interbody fusion device is designed to solve known surgical problems associated with legacy annular implant designs, according to a company release.

 First clinical use of Life Spine’s TiBow expandable spacer system

 Life Spine has announced the first clinical uses of its TiBow minimally invasive transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (TLIF) expandable spacer system featuring Osseo-Loc surface technology.

 Events

 20–25 August

 WFNS2017

 Istanbul, Turkey

 6–8 September

 ZPTNCH

 Lodz, Poland

 3–6 September

 ASCIP

 Denver, USA

 14–16 September

 SMISS

 Las Vegas, USA

 6–8 September

 Neurosurgery 2017

 Buenos Aires, Argentina

 15–16 September

 NASSISMISS

 Surabaya, Indonesia