X-Stop surgery is minimally invasive, causing little postoperative pain, a short hospital stay, and surgical time that is often less than 40 minutes. Second opinions are helpful here because some surgeons aren’t trained in the procedure and don’t always consider it as an option.
The X-STOP is a titanium metal implant design to fit between the spinous processes of the vertebrae in the lower back. It is designed to remain safely and permanently in place without attaching to the bone or ligaments in the back. Interspinous process decompression is a surgical procedure in which an implant called the X-STOP is placed between the spinous processes in the back of your spine. The X-STOP implant is not positioned close to the nerves or the spinal cord, but rather behind the spinal cord between the bony spinous processes. The X-STOP implant is designed to keep the space between the spinous processes open so that when an individual stands upright, the nerves in the back will not be pinched or cause pain.
With the X-STOP implant in place, one should not need to bend forward to relieve the symptoms of back pain, buttock pain, and leg pain. Patients who are candidate for X-STOPs are patients ages 50 or older who have lumbar spinal stenosis. Diagnosis of lumbar spinal stenosis should be confirmed by a doctor with x-ray, MRI or CT scans. The X-STOP is indicated for patients with moderately impaired ability to function who experience relief from their pain symptoms when bending forward.
Patients receiving the X-STOP should already have been under a doctor’s care and should have received nonsurgical treatment for their symptoms for at least 6 months. The X-STOP can be implanted at 1 or multiple levels of the lumbar spine. This minimally invasive spinal surgical procedure affords the patient with minimal postoperative pain, a 24-hour hospital stay, a small incision, and a surgical time usually less than 30 to 40 minutes.
The surgeons at Connecticut Neck and Back Specialists were the first surgeons in the State of Connecticut to implant the X-STOP device. We have more experience with this technology and have implanted more X-STOP devices than any surgeons in the entire North East Region. Our success rates with this minimally invasive implant have been far greater than 90%. Second opinions are helpful here because some surgeons either are not trained on this technique or don’t always consider it as a possibility. Sometimes, less IS more!