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Wallis Stabilization System Clinical Trial

Introduction to the Wallis Stabilization System

The Wallis® Posterior Dynamic Stabilization System is a non-fusion, spinal stabilization device that is currently limited by US law to investigational use within the US. The Wallis clinical study is a multi-center, prospective, randomized, active controlled study comparing the safety and effectiveness of the Wallis device to an artificial disc replacement.  The artificial disc is an FDA-approved, commercially available implant designed to replace an entire diseased or damaged spinal disc through a surgery called “total disc replacement” (TDR).

The Wallis System is designed to treat the pain caused by degenerative disc disease (DDD) by stabilizing the lumbar spine without a fusion procedure.

Study objectives

The primary objective of the Wallis Clinical Study is to demonstrate that the Wallis System is equivalent to total disc replacement for the treatment of mild to moderate degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine at the L4 – L5 level.

Study overview

Approximately 25 medical centers will be enrolling patients into this clinical study to assess the safety and effectiveness of the Wallis System in the treatment of mild to moderate degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine at the L4 – L5 level.

The Study will be randomized so that 50% of the study participants will receive a Wallis Device and 50% will receive a commercially available artificial disc (either the CHARITÉ® or PRODISC-L® artificial disc). Patients will be randomly assigned to receive either surgical option. 

Study participants will receive all study related test articles and surgical procedures at no charge.

Wallis Stabilization System

Study sponsor

Austin, TX based Abbott Spine researches, develops and sells spinal instrumentation in the treatment of degenerative spinal disorders.

For more information, please visit us at our website ().

Status

Enrolling Patients

Inclusion criteria for Wallis Stabilization System Clinical Trial

  • Age 18-60 (inclusive) and skeletally mature.

  • Diagnosis of mild to moderate single-level degenerative disc disease at L4-L5 as confirmed by radiography.

  • Minimum of six months of failed conservative treatment.

  • Pre-operative visual analog (VAS) low back pain score ≥ 40, on a scale of 100mm, with low back pain greater than left or right leg pain.

  • Preoperative baseline Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) score of ≥ 40 on a 100 point scale;

  • Physically and mentally able to comply with the protocol, including ability to read and complete required forms, and willing and able to adhere to the follow-up requirements of the protocol; and

  • Voluntarily signs the Patient Informed Consent.

  • Patient is a surgical candidate for an anterior approach to the lumbar spine (< 3 abdominal surgeries).

Exclusion criteria for Wallis Stabilization System Clinical Trial

  • The investigator believes that the L1-L2, L2-L3, L3-L4 or L5-S1 level is symptomatic based upon objective evidence, e.g., radiograph, MRI or discography.

  • Evidence of a prior fracture or trauma to the vertebral bodies at the affected level and/or the spinous processes at the L4-L5 or adjacent levels.

  • Osteoporosis or osteopenia or metabolic bone disease as confirmed by DEXA scan (T score < -1.0).  Female subjects older than 45 years of age (or post-menopausal women, history of oophrectomy, or family history of osteoporosis) and male subjects older than 55 years will undergo a pre-operative, dual energy x-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) of the lumbar spine. The DEXA will be used to identify subjects with an indication of osteoporosis, osteopenia or metabolic bone disease.  Subjects with a T-score of less than -1.0 will be excluded from the study.

  • Congenital lumbar spinal stenosis.

  • Bony lumbar stenosis.

  • Extreme obesity, as defined by NIH Clinical Guidelines Body Mass Index (BMI >40 kg/m2).

  • A history of any surgical procedure intended to remove or alter the disc (e.g. discectomy, intradiscal electrothermal therapy (IDET) or enzymes), decompress (laminectomy) or fuse, either the index or adjacent levels.

  • Prior participation in the study of any investigational spinal implant or investigational spinal treatment.

*This is an abbreviated list of inclusion/exclusion criteria.  Please contact study centers for a more detailed list of study criteria.   

Listing of clinical sites involved in this research

Please contact a hospital near you for additional information on participating in this clinical study:

California
Colorado
Indiana
Illinois
Missouri

North Carolina
Pennsylvania
South Carolina
Wisconsin

More centers that are participating in this clinical trial will be added to this list shortly.

To reach someone at Abbott Spine directly about the Wallis trial, or to inquire about a participating hospital you did not see on the list please contact:

Jose Naveira, Wallis Clinical Project Leader
jose.naveira@abbottspine.com

 

California:
Name of center: Spine Source
Primary investigator: John J. Regan, MD
Location: 120 S. Spalding Drive, Ste. 400
Beverly Hills, CA 90212
Contact name: Ryan Elizabeth Homsher, CCRP and Paul Vaca
Phone number: 310-385-8015 and 310-415-4497
Fax number: 310-385-8040
E-mail: rescoordinator@spinesource.com
Website: www.spinesource.com

Name of center: Core Orthopaedic Medical Center
Primary investigator: L. Erik Westerlund, MD
Sub-investigators: Timothy A. Peppers, MD & Kiersten L. Gregory, PA-C
Location: Encinitas, CA 92024
Contact name: Farouk Awad
Phone number: 760-943-6700

Colorado:
Name of center: Boulder Neurological Associates
Primary investigator: Alan T. Villavicencio, MD More on this physician
Sub-investigator: Jefferey J. Thramann, MD
Location: Boulder, CO 80504
Contact Name: Sigita Burneikiene
Phone number: 303-998-0004

Name of center: Denver Spine
Primary investigator: Gary Ghiselli, MD
Co-investigators: David A. Wong, MD and Sanjay Jatana, MD More on this physician
Location: 7800 East Orchard Road, Suite 100
Greenwood Village, CO 80111
Contact Name: Mary Shippey, CRC
Email: mary_shippey@yahoo.com
Phone number: 720-560-0685 or 303-783-1300
Indiana:
Name of center: Fort Wayne Orthopaedics
Primary investigator: Kevin A. Rahn, MD More on this physician
Location: 7601 West Jefferson Boulevard
Fort Wayne, IN  46804
Contact Name: Chad Badorek, Research Coordinator
Phone number: 260-436-8686 x4278 and 800-566-5659 x4278   
E-mail: cbadorek@fwortho.com
Website: www.fwortho.com/

Illinois:
Name of center: Illinois Bone & Joint Institute
Primary investigator: Christopher Bergin, MD
Location: 9000 Waukegan Rd., Suite 200
Morton Grove, IL 60053
Contact Name: Alex Budiman
Phone number: 847-324-3096

Missouri:
Name of center: St. John’s Clinic – Orthopedic Specialists
Primary investigator: Todd J. Harbach, MD
Sub-investigator Kraig Holtorf, PA
Location: 1229 E. Seminole, 2nd Floor
Springfield MO 65804
Contact Name: Linda Thompson, RN
Phone number: 417-820-9538
North Carolina:
Name of center: Triangle Orthopaedic Associates, P.A.
Primary investigator: Dr. David B. Musante, MD
Sub-investigator Thomas A. Dimmig, MD and Ralph A. Liebelt, MD
Location: 120 William Penn Plaza
Durham, NC 27302
Contact Name: Lynn Kamm and Tracey Gulledge, MA
Phone number: 919-281-1968
Pennsylvania:
Name of center: Lehigh Valley Hospital
Primary investigator: Dr. Jeffrey McConnell, MD More on this physician
Location: Allentown, PA 18103
Contact Name: Karen Gonzalez, RN, BSN
Phone number: 610-402-1036
South Carolina:
Name of center: Medical University of South Carolina
Primary investigator: Dr. Bruce Frankel, MD
Location: Charleston, SC 29425
Contact Name: Laurie Yniesta, BHS
Phone number: 843-792-9172
Wisconsin:
Name of center: BayCare Clinic
Primary investigator: Dr. Paul Baek, MD
Location: Green Bay, WI 54311
Contact Name: Lesley Bitters, CRC
Phone number: 920-288-4398

The information provided by Spine-Health in this Clinical Trials listing section is designed to help patients find clinical trials that are ongoing in the field of spine medicine, and to provide information to help patients contact the centers conducting the research. Spine-Health is not involved in conducting any of these trials and is not promoting the trials or research.

This is a listing of industry-sponsored clinical trials that are actively recruiting patients. These clinical trial listings are not edited or peer-reviewed by Spine-health.com.