Texas Spine and Neurosurgery is the first in the state of Texas to offer a new screw-free and metal-free fusion technology. Dr. Steven Zielinski was the first surgeon in the country to use this technology to complete a staged 360 lumbar fusion procedure. The procedure consisted of a minimally invasive anterior lumbar interbody fusion and a posterior lumbar fusion with decompression. All instrumentation consisted of bio-compatible polymer. No metal or screws were used. Dr. Zielinski was also the first in the country to remove screws in a patient and replace them with this screw-free fusion technology.
If you have back pain or numbness, tingling, or weakness to the legs, you could be a candidate for this new technology. Contact us for more information!
If you already have painful screws in your back and would like to live a screw-free life, call us today!
Press Release
Local surgeon first in USA to perform revolutionary new lumbar spine fusion
Less invasive approach yields remarkable results and is now available to Texans in need
WACO (May 25, 2020): Local neurosurgeon Dr. Steven Zielinski has become the first surgeon in the country to perform a revolutionary new lumbar spine fusion procedure.
The old spinal fusion protocol implanted metal rods and screws into the spine in an effort to stabilize the back. This hardware remained in the spine for the rest of the patient’s life. Patients who underwent this procedure often complained of pain associated with having metal in their spines and dealt with inconveniences like setting off metal detectors.
Dr. Zielinski’s new approach combines two brand new, biocompatible, high performance polymer stabilization devices. Specifically, the novel spine surgery process consists of a screw & metal free oblique lumbar interbody fusion paired with a screw & metal free posterior fusion to stabilize the spine. The new technology reduces the quantity of foreign materials being introduced to the body and results in less blood loss and less trauma to the patient’s spine. This takes the place of, and is an improvement upon, screws and rods in the back. The end result is patients living the rest of their lives screw & metal free.
The procedure has met with such remarkable success that subsequently, Dr. Zielinski has also become the first surgeon in the country to ever remove painful metal instrumentation and replace it with this biocompatible polymer technology. Again, the results were remarkable. Dr. Zielinski believes that this technology will likely replace the now standard metal screw and rod system in the near future.
Dr. Zielienski, who founded TX Spine & Neurosurgery 10 years ago with a single small office in Waco TX, can now provide this FDA approved procedure to Texans across the state. Today, Texas Spine & Neurosurgery operates with multiple, allied hospitals and clinics, extending from the DFW metro area to the Gulf coast of Texas and from Stephenville all the way to Nacogdoches.
For the first time in history, patients can reap the benefits of a traditional metal screw and rod system without the negatives that typically accompany having a lifetime of metal hardware implanted into the spine. Based on the remarkably positive patient outcomes with these surgeries, Dr. Zielinski is hopeful that in the near future, it may be possible to correct scoliosis deformities with this new technology.
The future of spine care is here and, Texans can access it at Texas Spine & Neurosurgery.