MILD Procedure

Safe, Effective, Non-Surgical Treatment for Lumbar Spinal Stenosis (LSS)

A minor, outpatient procedure helping patients diagnosed with Lumbar Spinal Stenosis (LSS)

MILD Procedure Facts & Information

If you’re experiencing pain or numbness in your lower back when you’re standing upright…OR pain, numbness, tingling in your legs or buttocks when you walk…you may be suffering from a condition called Lumbar Spinal Stenosis (LSS). The MILD procedure is a safe, effective treatment option that delivers significant pain relief for LSS patients.

In fact, study data show that 79% of patients experience a significant reduction in pain and significant increase in mobility.(*2)

Our board-certified pain specialists are highly skilled at accurately diagnosing pain caused by LSS and effectively treating it with the outpatient MILD procedure.

What is Lumbar Spinal Stenosis (LSS)?

LSS is a condition where the spinal canal narrows and compresses the spinal cord nerves in your lower back. As we age, the natural wear and tear on our spine can lead to a number of contributing factors that cause the narrowing of the spinal canal – thickening of ligament tissue, formation of excess bone, or compression/bulging of the discs.

Understanding the Symptoms of LSS

If your symptoms increase when you walk or stand, but you experience relief when you sit or bend forward, then you might have a certain type of LSS that can be treated by the removal of excess tissue which is causing a narrowing of the spinal canal.

Treating Pain Caused by LSS

If your doctor determines you have LSS caused by excess ligament, then MILD is a quick outpatient procedure, performed through a tiny incision (about the size of a baby aspirin), requiring no general anesthesia or stitches. MILD is an FDA-cleared procedure that has been performed safely on thousands of patients. Here’s how the procedure works:

• Specialized tools are inserted through a tiny incision in your back
• This removes small pieces of bone and excess ligament that cause the narrowing of the canal
• Some doctors have described treating LSS as being similar to “removing a kink in a drinking straw”
• An imaging machine is used to help guide your physician through the procedure
• Restoration of space in the spinal canal decreases the compression of the nerves
• This reduces pain and restores mobility

How Long Does it Take and Expected Results?

MILD is an outpatient procedure performed in less than 1 hour and clinical studies show it’s a safe, effective procedure that helps LSS patients stand longer & walk farther with significantly less pain. Some additional points about MILD to consider:

• No general anesthesia required
• No implants or stitches
• Low complication risk
• 53% pain reduction ^(*1)
• Standing time increase from 8 to 56 minutes ^(*3)
• Walking distance increase from 246 to 3,956 feet ^(*3)
• Able to resume light activities within just a few days

*Results may vary:

1. Data based on average of responder group at 1 year from MiDAS I study.
2. Based on SPORT study.
3. Averages based on clinical data from Cleveland Clinic study.