Unique IMRIS hybrid OR enables highly complex deformity correction at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center

IMRIS Inc. (NASDAQ: IMRS; TSX: IM) ("IMRIS" or the "Company") today announced that both VISIUS intraoperative MRI (iMRI) and intraoperative CT (iCT) have been utilized for the first time anywhere for a single procedure during a spine surgery at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center (DHMC) in Lebanon, NH.

The Center for Surgical Innovation (CSI) at DHMC is the only hybrid operating suite in the world where both VISIUS iMRI and iCT modalities can scan a patient on the OR table with either or both modalities to produce real-time data and diagnostic quality imaging during procedures without moving the patient. The high-field MR and 64-slice iCT scanners move to the patient on ceiling-mounted rails within the four-room suite.

"Having access to diagnostic quality imaging provided from both VISIUS iMRI and iCT during such a complex case provided us the level of precision we wouldn't otherwise have," said Sohail Mirza MD, MPH, Medical Director of CSI and Chair of Orthopaedics at Dartmouth-Hitchcock. "We were working to relieve severe spinal cord compression caused by a progressive deformity and to stabilize and correct the spinal deformity. The bone structure was highly abnormal and the structures were very delicate, so the highest level of imaging possible was needed in the operating room."

The surgeons operated on a 13-year-old patient with a condition called chondrodysplasia punctata, a disorder of cartilage and bone development. The procedure involved anterior and posterior cervical thoracic spinal fusions where a total of three iCT scans were obtained to plan surgical navigation, assess cord decompression, and accurately place spinal instrumentation and pedicle screws in the pediatric cervical and thoracic spine. Now, six weeks out from surgery, the patient is doing well with improvement in pain and function.

IMRIS President and CEO Jay D. Miller said VISIUS intraoperative solutions are facilitating emerging techniques through improved vision and precision. "I continue to be impressed by the new techniques that arise from using our intraoperative imaging technology directly in the operating room where it can make the most difference - during surgery," he said. "We expect these tools will further improve the outcomes for a growing number of neurosurgical and spinal applications and conditions."

About IMRIS

IMRIS (NASDAQ: IMRS; TSX: IM) is a global leader in providing image guided therapy solutions through its VISIUS Surgical Theatre - a revolutionary, multifunctional surgical environment that provides unmatched intraoperative vision to clinicians to assist in decision making and enhance precision in treatment. The multi-room suites incorporate diagnostic quality high-field MR, CT and angio modalities accessed effortlessly in the operating room setting. VISIUS Surgical Theatres serve the neurosurgical, spinal, cardiovascular and cerebrovascular markets and have been selected by 61 leading medical institutions around the world.

SOURCE IMRIS Inc.

Image with caption: "The VISIUS iMRI and iCT has the ability to scan a patient on the OR table with either or both modalities to produce diagnostic quality imaging during procedures without moving the patient. (CNW Group/IMRIS Inc.)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20140925_C9595_PHOTO_EN_42877.jpg

For further information:

Kevin J. Berger
Marketing Communications Manager
IMRIS Inc.
Tel: 763-203-6332
Email: kberger@imris.com 

Source : News Wire , 25th Sep 2014  

Help sought for QC girl born with scoliosis - Manila , Phillipines

Though suffering from congenital scoliosis, 4-year-old Kail Yazmin Cristobal of Teachers Village-West, Quezon City, is an active and inquisitive girl who enjoys singing and dancing. She was diagnosed with thoracic insufficiency syndrome when she was just six months old.

Because her spine has an 89-degree curve, Kail is considered short for her age. “Her ribcage is constricted so she uses only her left lung. Her right lung is compromised by the curve in her spine. She experiences shortness of breath and says it is painful and hard for her to breathe,” said Kail’s father, Jan-Christian Cristobal, an employee of the Bureau of Fire Protection.

According to Cristobal, his daughter needs to undergo modified expansion thoracoplasty, a surgical procedure costing P1.1 million, to have a rod implanted and gradually correct the alignment of her spine.


“Kail is fully aware of what she is going through.

She is confident that she will triumph over the challenges she is facing. Our family is thanking those who will help and support her in her journey,” he said. Jan-Christian Cristobal can be contacted at 0998-9992410 and 4264786. Donations can be deposited in his BPI Kalayaan account (1999-1053-82).



Source : News Info Inquirer , 25th Sep 2014

5 core concepts on cost-effective indicators for scoliosis surgery

An article published in the September 2014 issue of Spinal Deformity, the official journal of the Scoliosis Research Society, examines the factors predicting cost-effectiveness of adult spinal deformity surgery two years after the procedure.

The researchers conducted a prospective, consecutive, multicenter database including 514 patients who underwent spinal deformity surgery. The patients were followed for two years after surgery. The researchers performed an analysis to determine which factors were associated with a cost per quality-adjusted life year less than $100,000 — the threshold for a cost-effective procedure.

The researchers found:

1. QALY change for all patients in the study was 0.15 on average and the cost per QALY was $243,761. There were around 10.4 percent of the patients who had a cost per QALY of less than $100,000 after two years.

2. The patients who had less than $100,000 cost per QALY were predominantly female and older than 60 years old. The breakdown for diagnoses in this category is:

•    Adult idiopathic scoliosis: 32.1 percent
•    Adult de novo scoliosis: 35.7 percent
•    Sagittal imbalance: 14.3 percent
•    Other scoliosis: 17.9 percent

3. All life Oswestry Disability Index and Scoliosis Research Society instruments were associated with cost-effectiveness, except for the SRS-Mental. The patients with Preoperative ODI scores between 60 and 70, and SRS Pain and Activity subscores of more than four minimally clinically important difference points between the normative values, had the highest percentage of cost-effective patients, according to the study abstract.

4. The biggest factors associated with cost-effectiveness for surgical scoliosis correction were:

•    Patients older than 55 years
•    Adult de novo scoliosis
•    Prior surgery
•    Higher preoperative sagittal vertical axis
•    Lower maximum Cobb angles
•    Eight or fewer levels fused
•    Lower blood loss
•    Worse global alignment classification
•    Global sagittal mal-alignment

5. There was a negative association with cost-effectiveness for combined anterior-posterior surgeries. "Patients with higher preoperative morbidity are more likely to be cost-effective with a cost/QALY less than $100,000," concluded the study authors.


Source : Becker's Spine Review , 23rd Sep 2014

Madison student braves scoliosis surgery, still smiling

The first day of school is often the most exciting for students. They come dressed in their best clothes, sit up straight in class and have big dreams of success in their sports and academic clubs.

Those were luxuries Madison fifth-grader Shannon Stapleton was never afforded, until this week.

Thursday, Shannon made her debut at Madison Middle School 2 1/2 inches taller — and more confident — than the last time her classmates saw her. An 8-hour procedure at Akron Children's Hospital this summer straightened the severe "S" curve in her spine, allowing her to sit, walk and grin more freely.

Shannon Stapleton is recovering form two major surgeries to correct her scoliosis.


She was cleared to return to school during a doctor's appointment in Akron on Wednesday. Monday will be her first full day in school.

The 10-year-old said she was very emotional the first time she saw the before and after x-rays of her spine. She used to wear her long, brown hair down her back to try to hide her condition.

"I didn't want people to see the hump on my back because I'd be bullied," Shannon said.

Now, she's excited to walk the halls freely, and see her friends again.

"It's crazy that I'm so young and I fought through that," Stapleton said. "People call me a soldier."

Shannon's heart doctor at Akron noticed her scoliosis during an annual check-up two years ago. The 10-year-old's spine was starting to twist her body, making it difficult to breathe and restricting her participation in normal activities.

Akron orthopedic surgeon, Dr. Kenneth Bono, called Shannon's case severe, noting it was the largest curvature he could remember at the hospital in a long while. Before surgery, her spine had a 100-degree curvature, he said.

Scoliosis is a relatively common condition, but less so the higher the degree of curvature, he explained.

"It's kind of weird because my name is Shannon and my spine was an S," Shannon said.

Shannon spent 21 days in a halo device, which attached to her skull and slowly stretched the spine as pressure was applied. At one point, she had 50 pounds of traction pulling at her warped vertebrae.

Her spinal fusion surgery was Aug. 12. Bono attached 23 screws and two titanium rods to her spine, which intrigued Shannon.

Video Link : http://www.mansfieldnewsjournal.com/longform/news/local/2014/09/25/madison-student-braves-scoliosis-surgery-still-smiling/16232637/



"What kind of metal? Titanium?"

"Look, you can sing, 'I am Titanium,'" her mother, Sharon said, referring to David Guetta's popular hit.

"Really ..."

Her father, Marvin, said he's been shocked by his daughter's transformation. Her curvature was reduced from 100 degrees to 37 degrees. She stands as tall as her mother now.

"You can't put a dollar amount on that," Marvin said.

The surgery isn't a fix-all, but it's a start.

Shannon will still have restrictions, especially pertaining to physical activity, her first year of recovery, but her future holds more possibilities than ever before. She likely won't be able to pursue sports, but she does hope to resume piano lessons soon.

Eventually, she wants to try dance.

"Now I can walk around the block," Stapleton said. "I'm actually taking deep breaths, now; it's awesome!"

Twinges of pain from time to time remind her of all she has endured, and that there is still a long road of recovery ahead, but Shannon can't help but smile. She's already getting compliments on her posture and radiant confidence.

"If I had known that I was going to be looking down on her in the pain she was in, I probably wouldn't have gone through with it, but seeing her now I'm glad we did," Sharon said.

E.mail : kdurbin@nncogannett.com



Source : Mansifield News Journal

Exercise regime helps pupil stretch her way to recovery

SCOLIOSIS sufferer Laura Tait can touch her toes for the first time in her life thanks to a treatment she discovered on the internet.

Laura, 12, from Wantage, was diagnosed with a curved spine in October after suffering pain while walking, running, sitting and even lying down, for years.

 

An x-ray of Laura's spine shows the extent of its curvature

After she was diagnosed, Laura’s GP said she should come back for monitoring in six months and sent her home despite the pain getting worse.

Because the condition sometimes corrects itself, doctors will often not immediately recommend treatment.

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But, if it does become necessary, treatment could either involve wearing a back brace until a patient stops growing, or having a metal rod surgically inserted into the back and attached with screws, hooks and wires.

Not prepared to take the wait-and-see approach, Laura and her mum Gabi searched the internet and discovered London clinic Scoliosis SOS.

Founded and run by scoliosis sufferer Erika Maude, the clinic teaches special spine-straightening stretches and exercises.

Laura demonstrates one of the exercises she performs daily

For four weeks, from 10am to 5pm every day, Laura pulled and stretched her back in new ways.

By the end, she said, she felt like a normal person again for the first time in years.

The student at the European School in Culham said: “I met new people who had the same problems. You knew you were not the only one, it was nice to be with new people and the staff were really nice and kind.

“After two weeks I noticed I didn’t get any pain, I could lie in bed at night and it didn’t hurt. I could touch my toes for the first time.”

Back at home with her mum, dad Jeremy and big brother Julian, she practises her exercise regime for 45 minutes after school every day.

And she is hoping her passion for disco dancing will be given an extra lease of life thanks to her new-found flexibility.

The family decided not to tell Laura’s consultant at the Nuffield Orthopaedic Centre in Oxford they were going to the clinic.

When they returned successful, she said they told the specialist, who said he knew about the treatment and was pleased it had worked for Laura.

Mrs Tait asked why he had not suggested it before and he said that he could not have recommended the treatment because it was not funded on the NHS.

She said: “He approves of it and thinks it’s a good idea but he can’t recommend it because not everyone could afford it.

“But Laura loved it, she said it was like a holiday camp.”


Source : The Oxford Times , 22nd Sep 2014

Stunning Scots model a hit after spinal surgery: I'm happy to be on the catwalk but I'm happier to be walking at all

AFTER a long fight with scoliosis and a 69 per cent curvature of her spine, Nakisa Fouladi has been snapped up by model agencies in New York, Milan and London.

As She  walks down the catwalks of London and New York fashion weeks, Nakisa Fouladi wows designers with her poise and elegance.

But none of them realise that the 20-year-old needed major surgery on her spine just to be able to walk at all.

Nakisa, of Chapelhall, near Airdrie, was spotted by the Colours model agency in Glasgow when she was still at school.

The youngster, who had always wanted a career in fashion, moved to Canada with her family in 2012 and followed her modelling dream there.

But first she had to overcome scoliosis – a painful medical condition which resulted in 69 per cent curvature of her spine.

The aspiring model couldn’t walk properly or stand straight.

She bravely underwent a gruelling 10-hour op to insert a metal rod into her spine and claims it has actually helped her catwalk career.

She said: “I didn’t think I’d ever walk normally again. After the op, it was a couple of months before I could start to walk again.

“But the whole thing has done wonders for my posture.

“A lot of models struggle with that, but I can’t have bad posture now because of the rod along my spine.

“It added 2in to my height too, so it’s been good for my career.”

And that career has really taken off. Nakisa is signed to six agencies across the world, including One Model Management in New York, Storm in London and Why Not in Milan.

She said: “I was supposed to go to Milan Fashion Week this week but I decided to just do New York and London this year then take a break.

“I’m really looking forward to doing Milan and Paris next year.”

In the past three weeks the young Scot has been to castings for A-list clients including Victoria Beckham,

Calvin Klein, Tommy Hilfiger and Marc Jacobs.

And she’s walked the runway for Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen’s label The Row at New York Fashion Week


as well as Jasper Conran and Julien Macdonald in London.

She said: “It’s been totally crazy. I got to meet Victoria Beckham when I was casting for her in New York.

“But the highlight was definitely getting to walk for the Olsen twins. That was incredible.”

Her proud mum Sharon Higgins, 44, said last night: “Nakisa has always wanted to be a model but it has all happened so fast.

“I never thought she would get this far. I thought the scoliosis would hold her back.

“But she was so determined. Her dream was to walk at New York Fashion Week and she’s done it.”

Modest Nakisa admitted: “Never in a million years would I have expected what’s happened over the past month. Getting a phone call out of the blue to go to New York Fashion Week was a shock but it’s all very exciting.”

Hot property: Nakisa Fouladi got her break early as a young Scottish model

Family picture of Nakisa with her sister Rebecca and brother Benjamin

 

And that career has really taken off. Nakisa is signed to six agencies across the world, including One Model Management in New York, Storm in London and Why Not in Milan.

She said: “I was supposed to go to Milan Fashion Week this week but I decided to just do New York and London this year then take a break.

“I’m really looking forward to doing Milan and Paris next year.”

In the past three weeks the young Scot has been to castings for A-list clients including Victoria Beckham, Calvin Klein, Tommy Hilfiger and Marc Jacobs.

And she’s walked the runway for Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen’s label The Row at New York Fashion Week


as well as Jasper Conran and Julien Macdonald in London.

She said: “It’s been totally crazy. I got to meet Victoria Beckham when I was casting for her in New York.

“But the highlight was definitely getting to walk for the Olsen twins. That was incredible.”

Her proud mum Sharon Higgins, 44, said last night: “Nakisa has always wanted to be a model but it has all happened so fast.

“I never thought she would get this far. I thought the scoliosis would hold her back.

“But she was so determined. Her dream was to walk at New York Fashion Week and she’s done it.”

Modest Nakisa admitted: “Never in a million years would I have expected what’s happened over the past month. Getting a phone call out of the blue to go to New York Fashion Week was a shock but it’s all very exciting.”

 

Nakisa is half Iranian and her proud dad Ben arrived in the UK from Iran in the 1980s.

After leaving St Margaret’s High School in Airdrie, she went to City of Glasgow college before the family emigrated to Canada.

Nakisa said: “People say Scotland doesn’t have good opportunities and I’m lucky that I moved away but, if it wasn’t for Scotland and the people there who spotted me, then I wouldn’t be doing this today.”

Nakisa’s Canadian agent Angie Sakla-Seymour, of Angie’s Models and Talent International, believes the young Scot’s good looks, long legs and sunny personality will take her to the top of the industry.

She said: “Nakisa is doing really well. She’s only going to castings for A-list clients and she’s in high demand.

“She has the looks, she has the long legs but she has the personality too. Her personality just shines through and, with that, she’s going to make it big.

“Nakisa is on her way to becoming one of the most sought-after models in the world. Everyone will be talking about her.

“She will never have to do a normal job again in her life.”

Alison Bruce, who runs Scotland’s top model agency Colours, said she was excited to see Nakisa doing so well.

She said: “We’re thrilled for her. We spotted her potential and knew she’d be a very successful model.

“She had all the right qualities to do well, so I’m not surprised."


Source : Daily Record , 21st Sep 2014

Yoga for Scheuermann’s Kyphosis

I ( Author )   made this sequence for his god brother, but thought it might come in handy for others . Scheuermann’s Kyphosis, or Scheuermann’s Disease, is a relatively benign spinal abnormality that develops during adolescence, and can lead to back pain, typically in the cervical and lumbar spine, that compensate for the deep kyphotic (convex) curve of the ribcage with lordosis (concavity). It can also lead to digestive problems, if the spinal curvature leads to abdominal compression. This practice may be a good place to start if you are experiencing those symptoms, but it’s also just a gentle, heart-opening practice.

 

Source  : grandgather.com , 17th September 2014

The MAGEC system for spinal lengthening in children with scoliosis

NICE has developed medical technology guidance on the MAGEC system for spinal lengthening in children with scoliosis.

NICE medical technologies guidance addresses specific technologies notified to NICE by manufacturers. The ‘case for adoption’ recommendations are based on the claimed advantages of introducing the specific technology compared with current management of the condition. This ‘case’ is reviewed against the evidence submitted and expert advice. If the case for adopting the technology is supported, then the technology has been found to offer advantages to patients and the NHS. The specific recommendations on individual technologies are not intended to limit use of other relevant technologies which may offer similar advantages.

NICE has said that the MAGEC system should be considered for children aged 2 and over with scoliosis, who need surgery to correct their curved spine. Hospital teams may want to use the MAGEC system because it avoids the need for repeated surgery to lengthen the rods. The MAGEC system can save money compared with conventional rods in the long term (after about 3 years).

Source : NICE.ORG 

Emirati child’s curved back straightened out with steel rods

9-year-old local girl receives revolutionary magnetic rod treatment for scoliosis

A nine-year-old Emirati girl received a revolutionary new magnetic rod treatment for scoliosis in Abu Dhabi, after her parents brought her back from the US where she was receiving care.

The MAGnetic Expansion Control (MAGEC) rod treatment, which, after the first surgery, is a non-invasive method of treating scoliosis using magnets, is a new alternative to painful invasive spinal surgeries according to Dr. Yaqoob al Hammadi, the Chair of the Orthopaedic Department and Deputy Chief Medical Officer at the Abu Dhabi-based Sheikh Khalifa Medical City (SKMC), where the procedure was carried out.

"SKMC is the only hospital offering scoliosis surgery in general in the UAE, and in line with its philosophy of providing cutting edge treatment to the residents of Abu Dhabi, the MAGEC rod treatment - which is new across the globe - will continue to elevate patient care and outcomes in the country, benefitting our young scoliosis sufferers," Dr. al Hammadi said.

Similar to conventional growing rod treatment, the MAGEC telescopic rods are surgically fixed to the patient's spine in order to brace and straighten it during growth. The difference, however, is one that could save several painful invasive surgeries as the patient grows.

A total of four surgeries have now been successfully completed, with the first ever in the country being conducted on a 13 year old boy.

"This type of treatment benefits young scoliosis sufferers. Rather than keep the patient coming back for major, painful surgeries to lengthen the rods as the child grows, the new procedure uses magnets and an external remote control non-invasively, and saves not only time and money, but significant traumatic experience to those young patient and their families," said Dr. Zaid Al Aubaidi, a Royal Danish Board-certified Paediatric Orthopaedic and Spinal Surgeon at SKMC, who performed all four surgeries.

According to Dr. Al Aubaidi, as many as 15 babies are born each year with scoliosis in the country.

"We've already gone on to complete more successful surgeries using this treatment, and we are confident that many more patients can benefit from this innovative option. There is a misconception amongst residents here that they need to travel overseas for treatment, while the truth is that SKMC continues to offer the same treatments as Europe and the US with the same success rates," added Dr. Al Aubaidi.

SKMC, managed by Cleveland Clinic, is part of the Seha HealthSystem and owned and operated by Abu Dhabi Health Services Company (Seha). 



Source : Emirates 24/7 , 12th Sep 2014