Rick Sasso, MD

At the 16^th International Meeting on Advance Spine Techniques physician continuing medical education conference in July, in addition to participating in various continuing education lectures (discussed in prior blog entry) I also presented an abstract that I co-authored. This abstract summarized a spine research study recently completed and is entitled, Blood Metal Ion Levels Following Implantation of an All-Metal Lumbar Intervertebral Disc Replacement.

The purpose of this study was to measure the level of metal ions in an individuals blood stream following the implantation of a metal device; the all-metal lumbar intervertebral disc. This study concluded, that after six months and one year following surgery, that most patients that participated in the study did not have measurable levels of metal ions (cobalt and molybdenum ions) in their blood streams following total disc arthroplasty with the lumbar intervertebral disc replacement.