Spine surgeon Dr. Jeffrey Carlson implants first of its kind intervertebral cage for minimally invasive spinal fusion surgery

NEWPORT NEWS, Va., Dec. 6, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- On Friday, November 11, 2022, spine surgeon Jeffrey R. Carlson, MD, of Orthopaedic & Spine Center, performed the first implant of the Align Peek T/PLIF Intervertebral cage at Mercy Bon Secours Mary Immaculate Hospital in Newport News, Va. The Align Peek is a narrow, bulleted nose intervertebral cage specifically designed by Dr. Carlson with medical engineers from Acuity Surgical (Irving, Texas) for minimally invasive spinal fusion surgery and is the first of its kind in the world.

The surgery was performed on a 39-year-old female patient who had a L5 spondylolysis, spondylolisthesis, and left side disc protrusion. She did well during surgery and at the post-operative ten-day mark, the patient met all recovery benchmarks, was off all pain medication and walked with no assistance or assistive devices.

"I wanted to create a bulleted cage to powerfully distract the disc space, narrow the width to minimize the retraction on the nerve, keep my surgical field small and allow better visibility during surgical insertion.  All of this while manufacturing a cage that would be transparent during any radiographic procedure," said Dr. Carlson.  "It truly is a win-win for both the patient and the spine surgeon, because it allows the surgeon to be very precise, the surgical incision to be quite small, and while the implant has radiographic markers to indicate its presence, it is translucent on x-ray.  Truly game changing."

Dr. Jeffrey Carlson joined Orthopaedic & Spine Center in 1999 and is a double Fellowship trained, board-certified orthopaedic surgeon who focuses on the diagnosis and treatment of injuries to and conditions of the spine. Dr. Carlson is a recognized innovator and pioneer in the field of orthopaedic surgery and is noted for multiple surgical firsts in the United States and in the world for spine surgery.

Orthopaedic & Spine Center (OSC) is staffed by outstanding medical professionals who strive to provide the very best orthopaedic and interventional pain management care available anywhere. Our Center includes a comfortable, state-of-the-art medical facility, pleasant and well-trained personnel, physicians trained in the most advanced orthopaedic treatments, interventional pain management procedures, and a dedication to patient care

SOURCE Orthopaedic & Spine Center