Physicians at CGH test innovative implant to relieve patients’ pain
The constant pain in her neck and numbness in her left arm made Susan Middlebrook’s life miserable.
“My pain and numbness rendered me incapable of picking things up, and really functioning,” said Middlebrook, a Suffolk resident.
After intense physical therapy and research about her options, Middlebrook sought out two orthopedic surgeons at Chesapeake Regional Medical Center who provided her with renewed hope for a new life.
In 2005, Drs. David Goss and Michael Barnum of the Spine Center of Chesapeake were two of the first physicians in the country to receive FDA approval to test an innovative spinal implant at Chesapeake General Hospital. The Globus Medical Secure-C artificial cervical disk replacement was just the medicine Middlebrook needed.
The surgery takes one to two hours and requires a minimal incision, according to Goss. Once placed, the implant provides patients with an alternative to cervical fusion.
“We place the Globus device between the affected cervical disks, giving the patients freedom of movement while relieving their pain. Patients feel relief within days,” said Barnum.
The two physicians, who are partners, decided to participate in the study “because we wanted to give patients a different option,” said Barnum, “one that could potentially produce more positive and comfortable results than cervical fusion.”
Two years after surgery Middlebrook’s neck pain and numbness is gone. “I would tell anyone with this option not to hesitate,” she said. “It changed my life for the better and increased my range of motion.”
Now that the testing is complete, the results are being analyzed by the FDA. The data from the trial is expected to support regulatory approval to commercialize the device.
For more information about the procedure, contact Kathy Laurent at 819-7177, ext. 104
For help finding a physician, click here.
To schedule an exam:
Chesapeake Regional Medical Center
736 Battlefield Blvd. North
Chesapeake, VA 23320
757-312-8121