NuVasive(R) Announces First Patients in Japan Treated With the XLIF(R) Surgical Technique

SAN DIEGO, CA, Feb 26, 2013 (MARKETWIRE via COMTEX) — NuVasive, Inc., a medical device company focused on developing minimally disruptive surgical products and procedures for the spine, is proud to announce that the very first eXtreme Lateral Interbody Fusion (XLIF(R)) procedures were performed yesterday and today at two different hospitals in Japan.
NuVasive has received regulatory Shonin approval for several products to offer the XLIF surgical technique as a minimally invasive option for lumbar spine fusion to patients and surgeons in Japan. The approval furthers the Company’s ability to participate in the Japanese market, adding the XLIF approach to the cervical and posterior products that were approved for use late last year.
Russell Powers, NuVasive Executive Vice President of International, said, “We are absolutely thrilled that NuVasive now offers our comprehensive portfolio of innovative, procedurally integrated solutions for spine surgery in Japan, including XLIF. The XLIF procedure changed spine surgery in the U.S. with a minimally invasive approach designed to achieve reproducible, superior patient outcomes. We are eager to introduce XLIF across Japan, and to drive the shift toward minimally invasive approaches in the world’s second largest spine market. Our initial reception in Japan has been fantastic, and I applaud all of the NuVasive teams who worked to establish our Absolutely Responsive direct operation in this exciting new market.”
About XLIF
XLIF is a minimally invasive surgical (MIS) procedure performed through the side of the body utilizing proprietary neuromonitoring and an integrated portfolio of instruments and specialized implants for treating a range of spinal pathologies.