I am somewhat conflicted about learning about this procedure and performing it. The article I could find with a head-to-head comparison of X-stop vs Vertiflex showed they are about the same. We (with one of our neurosurgeons) did several X-stops in the past and they did not seem to work well. With a procedure that shows equivalence to X-stop, I don't know when I would ever do it, but is just one of those things that it is good to know how to do.
Medtronics dumped X-stop for a reason and I am just wondering if Vertiflex will suffer the same fate.
Interestingly, when we went to learn about X-stop, the MRI images shown for their cases did not meet criteria for lumbar stenosis. In fact, looking at the MRIs, I remarked that I probably would not have even done a lumbar epidural steroid on them.
Jim Weisntein's article on surgical vs conservative care clearly showed a lumbar lamy to be superior (and he hates all spine suregery). I just wonder when we have a highly effective, easy surgery like a lumbar lamy for stenosis whether some of these new devices for treating stenosis are akin to perfecting methods of making sealing wax.