MILD

What is the Vertos MILD procedure?

The Vertos Minimally Invasive Lumbar Decompression (MILD) procedure is a clinically proven outpatient treatment for Lumbar Spinal Stenosis (LSS) that removes the cause of stenosis through a portal the size of a baby aspirin. It requires no implants, no general anesthesia, no stitches, and no overnight hospital stay.

Patients with moderate to severe LSS often can’t stand longer than a few minutes or walk more than a few hundred feet without developing severe pain. This significantly impacts their quality of life. Until a few years ago, the only treatment options available for patients with LSS were conservative therapies or open spine surgery.

What is the purpose of the Vertos MILD procedure?

The MILD procedure may help patients diagnosed with lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS) stand longer and walk farther with less pain by treating the underlying cause of LSS symptoms in a minimally invasive way. This may allow the patient to avoid more invasive interventions, such as neuromodulation and surgery.

Am I a candidate for the MILD procedure?

Patients with moderate to severe LSS may be candidates for the MILD procedure if they complain of neurogenic claudication and if the MRI shows that ligamentum flavum hypertrophy is the major cause of the spinal stenosis. The best candidates are patients who cannot undergo open spine surgery or those who don't respond well to conservative therapies such as physical therapy and medications.

What can I expect during the Vertos MILD procedure?

The MILD procedure is performed under deep sedation through a 0.5 cm incision. The clinician uses a special sculpting tool that glides through a portal with a diameter of 5 mm (about the size of a pen cap) to go between the bones, scrape out the ligament and widen the spinal canal to reduce compression of nerve roots. The procedure is performed under a technique known as fluoroscopy to directly visualize the tools and help guide the physician to remove small pieces of bone and thickened ligament. Contrast material may be injected into the epidural space to assess positioning and guide with visualization throughout the procedure.

How long is the recovery period after the Vertos MILD procedure?

Because the bony architecture of the spine remains intact, spinal mechanics are not disrupted and patients typically recover quickly. They are discharged home after a couple of hours and are able to begin the rehabilitation program. Patients are encouraged to walk regularly and/or participate in physical therapy following the procedure.

What is the success rate of the Vertos MILD procedure?

The MILD procedure has helped thousands of patients achieve lasting relief from back pain. In a one-year study performed at the Cleveland Clinic, patients were able to increase their standing time from 8 minutes to 56 minutes with less pain, and their average walking distance from 246 feet (walking to the mailbox) to 3,956 feet (walking around the mall). MILD has provided patients with lasting pain relief and increased mobility.⁵

With over 30,000 lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS) treated and a complication rate of less than 0.1%, MILD is a minimally invasive procedure that may be able to provide you with lasting relief.