Treatments - Spinal Stenosis (Page 4)
More recently, a few new surgical approaches have also been introduced and other devices are in various stages of development and clinical trials. At least one has been approved for use in the treatment of central spinal stenosis.
- Interspinous process devices. The goal of these devices is to help take the bucking out of the ligaments and disc that together are pressing on the central canal and hopefully also a widening of the nerve foramen. In cases of true bone spur foraminal or far lateral stenosis, however, this method is less likely to help. This device does limit backwards bending at the segment thus limiting the ligament and posterior disc buckling. The X-stop is a device that has been approved for treatment of spinal stenosis, principally of the central type. See also Interspinous process spacers.
- Facet replacement or total element replacement. This new class of devices is still principally investigational and hopes to replace the facet joints in the back of the spine (or the total segmental element of the back of the spine). Whether or not this will assist in spinal stenosis depends on the extent of the central decompression, as yet to be proven. It is more likely that they might be of benefit in degenerative arthritis of the facet joints, which can contribute to foraminal stenosis, however.
