The Importance of Medical Implants in Complex Vertebral Osteosynthesis
Case study: a patient with lung cancer invading the spine, treated with a multi-level spinal reconstruction using the TeCorp VBR corpectomy system, performed by a multidisciplinary team.
Lung cancer that invades the spine is a challenge for both physician and patient. The physician must choose the best solution for the patient's health, while the patient, in turn, needs to remain open to intervention.
Case study:
A man with lung cancer that had invaded the spine required an extensive resection. His case could only be resolved by a multidisciplinary team, since it called for close cooperation between thoracic surgery and neurosurgery, given the need for a multi-level spinal reconstruction. Open to new medical devices, Dr. Robert Clement and Dr. Alexandru Cristescu performed the procedure using the TeCorp VBR system.
Both physicians gained their neurosurgical experience in France, having worked at Hôpital Foch in Paris. Dr. Robert Clement is a neurosurgery specialist with experience in minimally invasive cranial and spinal neurosurgery. He also practices in Romania, at Spitalul Colentina in Bucharest and at Muntenia Hospital in Pitești.
Dr. Alexandru Cristescu practices at Spitalul Regina Maria and gained his experience in spinal surgery and vertebral prostheses at Hôpital Foch in Paris as well. He also has experience in cranial neurosurgery, neuroendoscopy, and spinal neurosurgery.
What is the TeCorp corpectomy system?
During the surgery, the medical team used the TeCorp VBR device. The system is built around an essential vertebral support element, and it is versatile and easy to adapt to each patient. That is precisely why it proved to be an excellent solution for complex vertebral osteosynthesis.
The system is made of titanium and is designed to replace the spine at the cervical, thoracic, or lumbar level. Its VBR (Vertebral Body Replacement) design allows intervertebral height to be restored in conditions such as lordosis or kyphosis.
Features of the TeCorp device
The TeCorp system consists of plates with modular end pieces, allowing for 9 angular combinations. The system also allows the implant's height to be adjusted with precision. It also features a secure locking mechanism.
The importance of this system is well recognized, since it is used in surgical procedures to treat spinal fractures. In North America alone, 150,000 spinal fractures occur every year. It is estimated that there are between 10,000 and 12,000 spinal cord injuries annually, 39% of which are caused by car accidents. The TeCorp system is typically used whenever the spine needs additional structural support.
What lung cancer means
The patient who required the multidisciplinary team's intervention suffered from lung cancer that had invaded the spine. Cancer statistics are increasingly alarming: approximately 39.6% of people will be diagnosed with this type of disease at some point in their lives. After lung and liver cancer, spinal cancer is claiming an increasing number of victims. About 30% of cancer patients will develop spinal metastases, and some studies show that roughly 70% of cancer patients present with vertebral metastases at autopsy. In Romania alone, as many as 27,000 people have vertebral metastases. Vertebral metastases destroy the affected vertebrae and can occur at a single vertebra or affect several vertebrae.