Dynesys® pedicle screw and spacer.

Neurosurgeons at the University of Pittsburgh’s Spine Services Division are utilizing a revolutionary new procedure called the Dynesys® Spinal System in treating patients with lower back and leg pain caused by grade one spondylolisthesis ("slipped disc") or stenosis.

The Dynesys system uses flexible materials to stabilize the affected lumbar region while preserving the natural anatomy of the spine. The procedure allows some motion in the spine and is easy to implant using a familiar surgical approach.

The intent of the Dynesys system is to provide spine surgeons with an alternative to the rigid fixation provided by today’s systems for spinal fusion. The system is constructed of flexible materials that stabilize the affected vertebral segments. The Dynesys system consists of external spacers made of surgical polyurethane tubing surrounding a polyethylene cord. The dynamic push/pull relationship between the spacers and the cord stabilizes the affected vertebrae. The system is designed to permit careful controlled bending, straightening and twisting movement in the affected joints.

This unique system has several potential advantages over current fusion techniques. The most important is the preservation of the intervertebral discs and anatomy of the affected vertebrae. Also, the Dynesys system, installed posteriorally, does not require bone to be taken from the hip, as is required in other fusion procedures, and eliminates any problems associated with this procedure. The procedure should also reduce the number of days the patient recovers in the hospital.

Front and side views of Dynesys stabilization system attached bilaterally to spine

Dynesys not only fuses the spine but also allows movement and reinforces the spinal ligaments. It may ultimately prove safer and more effective than disc replacement.

Chronic back pain in the lumbar region, caused by problems with the intervertebral discs, is usually given noninvasive treatment for as long as possible. When such treatment no longer provides relief, the primary solution until now has been removal of the affected discs and fusion of the vertebral segments. It is estimated that nearly 400,000 people in the U.S. undergo fusion procedures each year.

Although new in the United States, the Dynesys system has been available since 1994 in Europe where over 9,000 patients have been successfully treated, according to Dynesys developer Centerpulse Spine-Tech.

The University of Pittsburgh’s Spine Services Division was among a select few leading spine centers across the United States that participated in a clinical study to examine the effectiveness of Dynesys before its recent FDA approval. Physicians and developers believe Dynesys is a major step forward in treating lower back and leg pain.