Page 18 - In Motion - Spring 2021 Volume 17 | UR Medicine
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A patient with a lesion of L5 was managed with minimally invasive implants and
decompression. The implants are made of carbon fiber and FDA approved for spine
tumor patients so as not to interfere with future imaging and radiation treatment.
Spine Division Builds Global Connections
Taking on the role of Spine Best practices: Mesfin has of Plastic Surgery on some cases.
Division Chief in July 2020, expanded use of minimally After Mesfin completes an hours-
Addisu Mesfin, M.D., already had invasive approaches for spine long spine procedure, a plastic
a goal in mind: establishing the surgeries, which reduce blood surgeon closes the long incision,
University of Rochester Medical loss and decrease wound a process that can take an hour
Center as a spine tumor surgery complications. In recent years, to 90 minutes. The collaboration
center of excellence. the approach has not been is now standard practice for
widely used for spine tumor revision surgeries where tissue
“As the population ages, the surgery—rating only a “weak and skin have been altered by
incidence of cancer increases, recommendation” in published radiation treatments.
and two-thirds of people with research—but Mesfin and other
malignancies are living more than spine oncology surgeons around Enrollment in the Metastatic
five years. The spine is one of the country are increasingly Tumor Research and
the most common sites of cancer opting for it, and seeing benefits. Outcomes Network (MTRON),
spread,” Mesfin said. He aims to Using PROMIS patient-reported a registry for data collection of
offer patients more advanced care outcomes data on 50 patients, metastatic spine tumor patients.
and higher quality of life. Several Mesfin is tracking minimally MTRON aims to collect enough
initiatives underway are moving invasive procedure results to data to support investigation
the division closer: of prognostic factors and
validate its effectiveness. Spine
Advanced treatment options: surgery fellows throughout the therapeutic variables. URMC is
one of only 30 sites around the
Mesfin is one of a very few spine Orthopaedics department are world participating in the registry,
surgeons in this part of the being trained in the practice to raising its profile with other
Northeast performing en bloc extend its use for future patients participating sites and extending
spondylectomy, an advanced around the country. its role in research.
approach that removes a primary Innovative collaboration:
bone tumor intact. URMC’s ability Mesfin has employed new options Patient outcomes-volumes
to offer such procedures draws for traditional, “open” surgeries research: In the April 2020
patients from throughout by partnering with the Division Spine Journal, Mesfin published
the region. research using a state database
18 In Motion | UR Medicine Orthopaedics & Physical Performance | Spring 2021
