The first commercialized implantation of Glyder Facet Restoration Device from Zyga Technology took place recently in Germany.
The device is designed as a minimally invasive solution to restore facet joint function in patients with chronic lumbar facetogenic pain. Prof. Dr. Hans-Joerg Meisel performed the procedure. "Through the GLISSADE clinical study we have seen the potential of Glyder Facet Restoration, and understand the considerations for proper patient selection and use," he said. "The positive clinical outcomes of the study have given us confidence to offer this unique treatment to patients suffering from facet joint-mediated low back pain."
The company also released 12-month primary outcome data from the study and a prospective 40-patient trial studying the Glyder systems.
The 12-month study showed that patients with symptomatic facet joint degeneration who underwent treatment with the Glyder Device had a 41 percent reduction in low back pain and 34 percent improvement in back function. Some early benefits were seen at six weeks.
"As physicians, we continually search for therapies that provide patients with meaningful benefit that outweighs the potential risk," said Prof. Dr. Luiz Pimenta, of Brazil. He was the first surgeon to implant the device for the study. "The Glyder device fills a significant unmet clinical need; it can provide long-term relief of facet-mediated pain for patients who don't respond to conservative pain management, but have not degenerated enough to receive fusion. That is great value in this new treatment, and I look forward to continued study and use of the technology."