ALAMEDA, Calif., Nov. 22 (UPI) -- St. Francis Medical Technologies said Tuesday that FDA has cleared its X-STOP spinal implant for lumbar spinal stenosis.
St. Francis, based in Alameda, Calif., said X-STOP will fill a gap in the treatment options for lumbar spinal stenosis.
Up until now, the condition was treated with either non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, physical therapy and spinal injections, or an invasive surgical procedure that involves removing parts of the bone and tissue in the spinal canal.
Lumbar spinal stenosis is caused by a narrowing of the spinal canal that squeezes nerves and results in debilitating pain in the back and legs. It is a common problem in middle-aged and elderly people and is the leading cause of surgery in patients over the age of 50.
St. Francis said X-STOP can be inserted using a minimally invasive technique that uses local anesthetic and takes less than an hour.
