William Welch, MD, was featured on the WTAE-TV (Pittsburgh) Evening News, April 7, discussing the Dynesys® spine stabilization system. Dynesys is a revolutionary new procedure for treating patients with lower back and leg pain caused by grade one spondylolisthesis ("slipped disc") or stenosis.

An alternative to spinal fusion, 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.

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.