General Information

How Your Spine Works

Your spine is made of 24 overlapping bones, called vertebrae, which connect like links in a chain. There are five bones in your low back, referred to as the lumbar spine. The area of overlap is called the facet joint.  The bones are held together by a complex network of ligaments — strong bands of tissue. In between each vertebra is a “shock absorber pad” called the intervertebral disc.

The spine houses and protects your spinal cord. Thirty-one pairs of nerves branch off the spinal cord and exit through the space between the vertebrae, called the intervertebral foramen. Nerves that exit in the lumbar spine travel to your buttocks and down your legs.

How Lumbar Spinal Stenosis Affects Your Body — and Quality of Life

As we age, the bones and discs in our spine may begin to degenerate. The ligaments and bones can start to thicken and enlarge — leaving less space for your spinal cord and spinal nerves — and the discs can collapse or protrude (herniate).

The resulting pressure on your spinal cord and nerves can cause pain, numbness, tingling and/or weakness in your lower back (lumbar spine) and down your legs. Standing for long periods of time or walking can make these symptoms worse. Sitting, bending forward or lying down can help alleviate them. 

Spinal stenosis (the narrowing of the space for your spinal cord) is a degenerative condition, meaning the symptoms become more severe over time.

Surgery from the Inside Out®

Spinal Decompression Using the iO-Flex® System

The iO-Flex® System provides your surgeon with thin, flexible instruments to easily access and gently remove the bone crowding your spinal nerves through a small incision. Because the instruments are flexible, your surgeon can easily reach the areas they need to with minimal disruption to the facet joint. This helps preserve your spine’s stability.

Your doctor will perform three simple steps when using the iO-Flex® System.

• Access: The first step is to access the tissue causing compression. The surgeon uses a small probe to get access and then passes a very thin wire through it to maintain the proper position.
• Confirmation: The Neuro Check® device allows your surgeon to confirm that the device is against the bone and the nerve is safely out of the way.
• Decompression: After the proper position has been confirmed, the flexible MicroBlade Shaver® instrument is used to remove the impinging bone and ligament, making more room for the nerves.

Talk With Your Doctor About The iO-Flex® System

There are risks associated with any type of surgery. Your doctor will help explain the risks associated with lumbar decompression surgery using the iO-Flex® System.

For more information on spinal decompression and the iO-Flex® System, please talk with your doctor.