NuVasive Showcases New Spine Innovations at NASS

NuVasive Inc. is introducing new spine innovations at the North American Spine Society (NASS) 31st Annual Meeting in Boston, Mass. NuVasive is showcasing its expanded Integrated Global Alignment (iGA) platform, now supporting all spinal procedures, including cervical alignment. In addition, the company is introducing proprietary image enhancement software that allows the surgical staff to significantly reduce exposure to surgical radiation in the operating room (OR), and directly addresses a known safety concern of surgeons and OR staff.
 
iGA Platform for Cervical
iGA is a proprietary, procedurally-integrated digital platform of specialized products designed to help surgeons achieve more precise spinal column alignment. NuVasive executives said the expanded platform makes the company the first to offer a solution to address spinal alignment for all spine procedures and provides surgeons an intuitive surgical workflow during pre-, intra- and post-operative that consists of software and hardware.
 
NuVasive’s differentiated technology helps surgeons:
 

• Calculate the patient’s cervical alignment and preoperatively plan prior to surgery,
• Correct and assess the cervical spine intraoperatively through integrated procedural solutions, and
• Confirm postoperatively to reconcile the preoperative plan and the intraoperative assessment.

 
Part of the expanded platform includes the launch of Bendini OCT, the  computer-assisted, rod bending system, which now has the ability to bend spinal rods for occipito-cervico-thoracic (OTC) cases. Bendini OCT is used in combination with NuvaPlanning software, integrated into surgical workflow for pre-, intra- and post-operative planning and confirmation, and NuvaMap O.R., a real-time intraoperative assessment tool to assess the correction achieved prior to finishing the case. Also, as part of the cervical iGA platform, the company is launching the CoRoent Small Interlock Hyperlordotic system, an anterior cervical interfixated implant designed to treat cervical alignment deformities by offering multiple lordotic options to address patient-specific correction.
 
“Based on the identified clinical need and scientific foundation of driving improved clinical outcomes through optimized global sagittal alignment, we have expanded our iGA platform to now address cervical alignment. Building on the success the company has seen with iGA, we are proud to offer the only available solution to address spinal alignment for all spine procedures,” said Jason Hannon, NuVasive’s president and chief operating officer. “This surgical planning technology enables surgeons to more completely plan for and achieve total sagittal alignment, including for patients suffering from cervical conditions. It represents another step forward in our mission to transform spine surgery.”
 
Improving OR Safety with LessRay Technology
Physicians can exceed their lifetime occupational radiation limit within the first decade of their career.
 
As surgery trends increasingly towards minimally invasive surgery (MIS) due to patient benefits, surgeon familiarity and superior clinical and economical outcomes, radiation exposure to surgeons and OR staff may increase.
 
To directly address this potential barrier to widespread adoption of MIS, NuVasive acquired the LessRay software technology suite from a private company called SafeRay Spine. The LessRay software is designed to be integrated into current surgeon workflow and utilizes an algorithm to drive image registration and enable management of radiation exposure, while maintaining high-quality, intra-operative images on existing C-Arm workflow without loss of visual accuracy.
 
“NuVasive has a strong history of delivering disruptive spine technology. From XLIF to iGA, we outpace our peers when addressing unmet clinical and market requirements. Radiation in the OR is a known issue, one that plagues the surgeon, the staff and the patient,” said Hannon. “This proprietary technology is aimed at supporting the surgeon and their staff, transforming their environment to be safer and more productive, while directly addressing one of the leading barriers to adopt MIS without any disruption to their familiar workflow. We see workflow familiarity as a key requirement for broad and rapid adoption of any successful technology platform.
 
“In addition, the technology fits our portfolio of differentiated solutions as a foundational element of our imaging, navigation and surgical automation development strategy. Our unmatched spine platform includes hardware, software and services, transforming spine surgery through reproducible clinical and economic outcomes,” added Hannon.
 
NuVasive is showcasing and demonstrating its new technologies at booth 1315 on the NASS exhibit floor.
 
The Company will also feature the new BASE Interfixated Titanium system, a key addition to the iGA platform. BASE is designed to achieve fusion goals and spinal alignment objectives with precision, innovative functionality and a wide range of implant size and lordosis options. Titanium implants have a proven strength profile compared to that of other materials on the market. The new system offers versatile fixation options with a distinctive locking mechanism and anatomic implant design to help rebuild spinal foundation.
 
NuVasive develops minimally invasive, procedurally-integrated spine solutions. NuVasive’s highly differentiated, procedurally-integrated solutions include access instruments, implantable hardware and software systems for surgical planning and reconciliation technology that centers on achieving the global alignment of the spine. With $811 million in revenues (2015), the company has an approximate 2,200 person workforce in more than 40 countries worldwide.