In December 2023, Jim from Mentor, OH, was suffering pain related to lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS). At the time, Jim’s mobility was limited. “Standing was minimal,” Jim recalls. “I could hardly walk.”
Recommending the mild® Procedure for LSS with Neurogenic Claudication
To address Jim’s pain and mobility challenges, Dr. Hassan Aboumerhi with UH Hospitals recommended the mild® Procedure.
According to Jim, Dr. Aboumerhi described the procedure as simple and similar to receiving an epidural steroid injection. Jim confirms that the procedure was short. “The mild® Procedure was perfect for me,” he says.
In the immediate aftermath of the procedure, he noticed an improvement in his symptoms: “Every day after that for about two weeks, the pain was less and less.”
Jim’s mild® Outcome: Improved Mobility and Functionality
Jim’s recovery time after mild® was brief. By 2 weeks post-procedure, Jim says, “I was walking. I was standing. I was pain-free.”
Today, Jim reports that he’s “back to normal,” feeling fine, and can walk and stand with “no problems at all.”
Jim encourages his fellow LSS patients to “absolutely […] not be afraid to have it done.”
“If you ever want to be able to tie your shoes again,” he says, “I’d suggest the mild® Procedure.”
Interested in speaking to a doctor who performs the mild® Procedure for spinal stenosis? Check out our mild® physician finder to locate a healthcare provider near you!
Watch Jim’s Story
mild® Procedure Patient Testimonial Transcript: Jim from Mentor, OH
Hi, my name is Jim and I had the mild® Procedure done by Dr. Aboumerhi.
Standing was minimal, walking, I could hardly walk anywhere. Across the room was tough because you couldn’t lift your leg. It was hard to even put your leg down onto the ground. So it was tough, so that was all minimal. And the mild® Procedure was perfect for me. I mean, we were done in half hour, 45 minutes. And I would say about two weeks later, like Dr. Aboumerhi told me, I was fine, I was walking, I was standing, and I’ll say pain free.
Absolutely do not be afraid of having it done. It’s absolutely like the name says—mild, simple. Go in and out. It was good. It was done. And I’m feeling fine.
Disclaimer – Patient stories reflect the results experienced by individuals who have undergone the mild® Procedure. Patients are not compensated for their testimonial.
The mild® Procedure is intended to treat lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS) caused by ligamentum flavum hypertrophy. Although patients may experience relief from the procedure, individual results may vary. Individuals may have symptoms persist or evolve or other conditions that require ongoing medication or additional treatments.
Please consult with your doctor to determine if this procedure is right for you.
In February 2024, Marlene from Willoughby, Ohio, decided with her doctor that she would undergo the mild® Procedure for lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS). Her pain before the procedure was a stabbing sensation, “probably close to a 9 or 10,” when she was standing, putting weight on her left side, or sitting on a hard surface.
Her condition was very limiting, preventing her from walking without pain. She was unable to stand upright while walking upstairs and couldn’t walk more than 10 feet at a time.
Undergoing the mild® Procedure for Back Pain
Marlene recalls the day of her procedure as “wonderful” because she was looking forward to it, and she trusted her doctor.
The procedure itself was simple for Marlene: “They took me into the operating room, and I went gently to sleep. And when I woke up, I was pain-free.”
Recovery Time for the mild® Procedure
The first day after the procedure, Marlene was given no restrictions for the recovery period. Her doctor only advised that she should take it easy and let her body be her guide.
Because she cares for her elderly husband, she had quite a bit of work to do at home. She was tired and made sure to rest, but by the second day, she was “back to doing everything fairly normal.”
Marlene’s Advice on mild® as a Spinal Stenosis Treatment Option
Surgery wasn’t an option for Marlene due to her age—she’s 86 years old—but she couldn’t live with the pain she was experiencing. That made choosing mild® an easy decision.
Even so, she wouldn’t hesitate to tell someone else to have mild®. “I would recommend it,” she said, “Don’t hesitate if your doctor is recommending it. I say go ahead with it.”
Watch Marlene's Story
Expand to view transcript
Okay, my name is Marlene. I had the mild® Procedure done in February of this year.
How are the symptoms before the mild® Procedure?
Very bad, very high pain level. Probably close to a 9 or 10.
What was your pain? Like and where was it located?
The pain was like I was being stabbed with knives when I would stand and put weight on my left side. And if I tried to sit down on a hard surface, it would feel like somebody was stabbing me, and I was very limited to what I can do.
How could you stand for and how long could you walk for before the mild® Procedure?
Well, standing was a different story because you can put your weight on your other side. I put my weight more on my right side, but I still felt I still felt a lot of pain when I stood up. But walking was almost impossible. I would take one step at a time. I went upstairs on my hands and knees. I didn’t stand upright to go upstairs, and I would say I couldn’t walk more than 10 feet at a time.
What was your procedure day like when you were about to have the mild® Procedure?
Well, it was a wonderful day for me because I was looking forward to it, praying for the procedure to work, and I trust my doctor.
So I was up in there bright and early morning. It was very simple. They took me into the operating room, and I went gently to sleep. And when I woke up, I was pain-free.
After the procedure, what was the recovery like? Did you have any restrictions?
No, I had no restrictions on the first day. He [the doctor] said just take it easy and just let my body be my guide.
Since I have an elderly husband that I care for, I had to do quite a bit of work around the house. So by the next day, I was back to doing everything fairly normal. I rested a lot. I was tired. But by the second day, I felt like it was a miracle.
How long can you walk and stand now after the mild® Procedure?
Well, on my left side, which is where I had the procedure, I have no pain. I can walk, I can do anything, but I do have the same symptoms on the right side—not quite as bad on the right side now.
What would you tell others who are considering this procedure?
Don’t hesitate if your doctor is recommending it. I say go ahead with it.
I’m 86 years old, and they wouldn’t do surgery. So surgery wasn’t an option, and I couldn’t live with that pain. So it was it was easy for me to make the decision. But I wouldn’t hesitate to tell somebody to go ahead and do it. I would recommend it.
Disclaimer – Patient stories reflect the results experienced by individuals who have undergone the mild® Procedure. Patients are not compensated for their testimonial.
The mild® Procedure is intended to treat lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS) caused by ligamentum flavum hypertrophy. Although patients may experience relief from the procedure, individual results may vary. Individuals may have symptoms persist or evolve or other conditions that require ongoing medication or additional treatments.
Please consult with your doctor to determine if this procedure is right for you.
View South Central Regional Medical Center’s recent HealthBreak segments featuring the mild® Procedure for lumbar spinal stenosis.
SCRMC HealthBreak Segment
mild® Procedure — Posted February 27, 2023
Over 2 million people are diagnosed with lumbar spinal stenosis annually. Spinal stenosis usually presents with lower back pain when standing up straight, an aching sensation, numbness, and tingling and pain in buttocks when patients are walking. Dr. Rayhan Tariq, Interventional Pain Management physician, offers an alternative to open spine surgery known as mild® — minimally invasive lumbar decompression.
Deborah Butler’s pain was at a level 9 by the time she found help at South Central Pain Center. Mrs. Butler said, “I woke up and my hip, all the way down to my knee, was in horrible pain.” After meeting with various physicians and trying physical therapy, Mrs. Butler contacted Dr. Tariq to discuss alternative treatments. Together, they made the decision to perform the mild® Procedure on Mrs. Butler. Today, she states, “My pain level has decreased to a level 2, and I have regained my quality of life.”
The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the authors/speakers and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Vertos Medical.
Original Publish Date: Jan 19, 2023 Contributing Writer for Novant Health: Page Leggett
“Patient enjoys shopping and traveling again without having major surgery”
Article Excerpts:
Sherry Clayton, 74, has always been active. Like many people her age, she had arthritis—but it didn’t keep her from doing the things she loved. Then, in June 2021, her pain became too much. An MRI revealed that she had lumbar spinal stenosis, a disease that occurs when the space inside the spine becomes too small, placing pressure on the spinal cord and nerve roots.
The condition is more common in older populations. One out of every 1,000 people over the age of 65 is likely to develop spinal stenosis, according to the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
Clayton, a resident of Fort Mill, South Carolina, saw two spine surgeons, both of whom recommended spinal fusion surgery—but even that wouldn’t guarantee she’d be pain-free. Not being one to accept the status quo, Clayton did some research. She found the website for Vertos Medical and liked what she read about the minimally invasive lumbar decompression, mild® Procedure, which led her to Dr. Nasir Khatri. He and his partner, Dr. Jacob Wang, are two of just a handful of doctors in the Charlotte area trained on the procedure. Vertos is a medical device company that manufactures the specialized equipment necessary to perform the procedure.
About six weeks after her initial consultation with Khatri, Clayton went to Novant Health Presbyterian Medical Center—the very hospital where she was born—to have the same-day procedure. Khatri reported: “At her two-week follow-up appointment, she reported having nearly 75% pain relief and, more importantly, improved function. Based on her Apple Watch data, she is now walking double the steps she could before.”
The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the authors/speakers and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Vertos Medical.
Benyamin RM, Staats PS, MiDAS ENCORE Investigators. mild® is an effective treatment for lumbar spinal stenosis with neurogenic claudication: MiDAS ENCORE Randomized Controlled Trial. Pain Physician. 2016;19(4):229-242.
Mekhail N, Costandi S, Abraham B, Samuel SW. Functional and patient-reported outcomes in symptomatic lumbar spinal stenosis following percutaneous decompression. Pain Pract. 2012;12(6):417-425. doi:10.1111/j.1533-2500.2012.00565.x.
2012 data from Health Market Sciences report for Vertos Medical 2013.
Data on file with Vertos Medical.
Staats PS, Chafin TB, Golvac S, et al. Long-term safety and efficacy of minimally invasive lumbar decompression procedure for the treatment of lumbar spinal stenosis with neurogenic claudication: 2-year results of MiDAS ENCORE. Reg Anesth Pain Med. 2018;43:789-794. doi:10.1097/AAP.0000000000000868.
Based on mild® Procedure data collected in all clinical studies. Major complications are defined as dural tear and blood loss requiring transfusion.
MiDAS ENCORE responder data. On file with Vertos Medical.
Jain S, Deer TR, Sayed D, et al. Minimally invasive lumbar decompression: a review of indications, techniques, efficacy and safety. Pain Manag. 2020;10(5). https://doi.org/10.2217/pmt-2020-0037. Accessed June 1, 2020.
Deer TR, Grider JS, Pope JE, et al. The MIST Guidelines: the Lumbar Spinal Stenosis Consensus Group guidelines for minimally invasive spine treatment. Pain Pract. 2019;19(3)250-274. doi:10.1111/papr.12744.
Hansson T, Suzuki N, Hebelka H, Gaulitz A. The narrowing of the lumbar spinal canal during loaded MRI: the effects of the disc and ligamentum flavum. Eur Spine J. 2009;18(5):679-686. doi:10.1007/s00586-009-0919-7.
Treatment options shown are commonly offered once conservative therapies (e.g., physical therapy, pain medications, chiropractic) are not providing adequate relief. This is not intended to be a complete list of all treatments available. Doctors typically recommend treatments based on their safety profile, typically prioritizing low risk/less aggressive procedures before higher risk/more aggressive procedures, but will determine which treatments are appropriate for their patients.
The mild® Procedure is a minimally invasive treatment for lumbar spinal stenosis. As with most surgical procedures, serious adverse events, some of which can be fatal, can occur, including heart attack, cardiac arrest (heart stops beating), stroke, and embolism (blood or fat that migrates to the lungs or heart). Other risks include infection and bleeding, spinal cord and nerve injury that can, in rare instances, cause paralysis. This procedure is not for everyone. Physicians should discuss potential risks with patients. For complete information regarding indications for use, warnings, precautions, and methods of use, please reference the devices’Instructions for Use.
Patient stories on this website reflect the results experienced by individuals who have undergone the mild® Procedure. Patients are not compensated for their testimonial. The mild® Procedure is intended to treat lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS) caused by ligamentum flavum hypertrophy. Although patients may experience relief from the procedure, individual results may vary. Individuals may have symptoms persist or evolve or other conditions that require ongoing medication or additional treatments. Please consult with your doctor to determine if this procedure is right for you.
Reimbursement, especially coding, is dynamic and changes every year. Laws and regulations involving reimbursement are also complex and change frequently. Providers are responsible for determining medical necessity and reporting the codes that accurately describe the work that is done and the products and procedures that are furnished to patients. For this reason, Vertos Medical strongly recommends that you consult with your payers, your specialty society, or the AMA CPT regarding coding, coverage and payment.
Vertos Medical cannot guarantee coding, coverage, or payment for products or procedures. View our Billing Guide.
Vertos is an equal employment opportunity workplace committed to pursuing and hiring a diverse workforce. We strive to grow our team with highly skilled people who share our culture and values. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to sex, age, color, race, religion, marital status, national origin, ancestry, sexual orientation, gender identity, physical & mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, veteran status, or any other basis protected by federal, state or local law.
Hall S, Bartleson JD, Onofrio BM, Baker HL Jr, Okazaki H, O’Duffy JD. Lumbar spinal stenosis. Clinical features, diagnostic procedures, and results of surgical treatment in 68 patients. Ann Intern Med. 1985;103(2):271-275. doi:10.7326/0003-4819-103-2-271.
Kalichman L, Cole R, Kim DH, et al. Spinal stenosis prevalence & association with symptoms: The Framingham Study. Spine J. 2009;9(7):545-550. doi:10.1016/j.spinee.2009.03.005.
Fukusaki M, Kobayashi I, Hara T, Sumikawa K. Symptoms of spinal stenosis do not improve after epidural steroid injection. Clin J Pain. 1998;14(2):148-151. doi:10.1097/00002508-199806000-00010.
Mekhail N, Costandi S, Nageeb G, Ekladios C, Saied O. The durability of minimally invasive lumbar decompression procedure in patients with symptomatic lumbar spinal stenosis: Long-term follow-up [published online ahead of print, 2021 May 4]. Pain Pract. 2021;10.1111/papr.13020. doi:10.1111/papr.13020
Friedly JL, Comstock BA, Turner JA, et al. Long-Term Effects of Repeated Injections of Local Anesthetic With or Without Corticosteroid for Lumbar Spinal Stenosis: A Randomized Trial. Arch Phys Med Rehabil. 2017;98(8):1499-1507.e2. doi:10.1016/j.apmr.2017.02.029
Pope J, Deer TR, Falowski SM. A retrospective, single-center, quantitative analysis of adverse events in patients undergoing spinal stenosis with neurogenic claudication using a novel percutaneous direct lumbar decompression strategy. J Pain Res. 2021;14:1909-1913. doi: 10.2147/JPR.S304997
Pryzbylkowski P, Bux A, Chandwani K, et al. Minimally invasive direct decompression for lumbar spinal stenosis: impact of multiple prior epidural steroid injections [published online ahead of print, 2021 Aug 4]. Pain Manag. 2021;10.2217/pmt-2021-0056. doi:10.2217/pmt-2021-0056
Abstract presented at: American Society of Pain and Neuroscience Annual Conference; July 22-25, 2021; Miami Beach, FL.
Mobility Matters: Low Back Pain in America, Harris Poll Survey, 2022. View data and full summary here.
Deer TR, Grider JS, Pope JE, et al. Best Practices for Minimally Invasive Lumbar Spinal Stenosis Treatment 2.0 (MIST): Consensus Guidance from the American Society of Pain and Neuroscience (ASPN). J Pain Res. 2022;15:1325-1354. Published 2022 May 5. doi:10.2147/JPR.S355285.
