Randy rides his way to healthy living with the Vertiflex™ Procedure†

At almost 80, Randy enjoys a very active lifestyle, filled with golfing, walking and biking. In fact, Randy prides himself in riding his bicycle ten to 12 miles every other day. Yet all of this was put on hold when he found himself with extreme back pain that interfered with his daily life.

“I have been active all my life and when this pain hit, it was devastating,” said Randy. “It was such a sudden stop to all the things that I love to do.”

His pain was so intense that he had to sit to shower and even started using a cane to stand and walk around his house. His limited mobility and constant pain affected his entire family. It particularly upset his granddaughter to see how difficult this was for him.

Pain from lumbar spinal stenosis

Randy was diagnosed with a spinal condition called moderate lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS), which causes the spaces in your spine to narrow resulting in back and leg pain, along with numbness. As someone who wanted to get back to his active lifestyle as soon as possible, Randy immediately began looking for ways to alleviate his pain. He tried epidural shots and physical therapy, with minimal results. Eventually, he began to rely on narcotics to sleep at night. Randy was still looking into additional options when his son-in-law, a physical therapist, told him about the Vertiflex™ Procedure†.

After a few conversations with his physician and a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) confirmed he was a good candidate for the procedure, Randy threw himself into learning more about it and ultimately decided it was right for him. Randy then reached out to his insurance provider for pre-approval and while he worked to gain access to the therapy, he decided he could not wait. He was in so much pain and willing to try anything to find relief, including paying for the procedure out-of-pocket when his insurance declined coverage.

“People with LSS often face limited treatment options,” said Nilesh Patel, M.D., vice president of Medical Affairs, Boston Scientific, Neuromodulation. “Access to minimally invasive therapies, like the Vertiflex Procedure, can make a significant difference for people living with the chronic pain associated with this condition.”

Post-procedure, back on the bike again

Randy’s procedure went well, and he made sure to follow his post-recovery instructions closely. On the last day of his recovery period, he was able to go for a long walk and even hopped on his stationary bike for a quick ride. His pain was finally gone, and he was able to get back to his active lifestyle.*

Soon after, Randy began the process of seeking reimbursement for his out-of-pocket payment. He was diligent and persistent in his advocacy to gain access to this therapy and was ultimately granted an audience with an Administrative Law Judge, who ruled in his favor for a partial reimbursement from his insurance company.

“The process took six months, and it was only a partial reimbursement,” said Randy. “It’s better than nothing, but it was worth it as the treatment had already worked so well for me.”

Today, Randy is looking forward to participating in a triathlon as part of a three-generation team with his son-in-law running, his grandson swimming and, of course, Randy biking.

Learn more about the Vertiflex Procedure for chronic pain.

†Superion™ Indirect Decompression System

*Results in other cases may vary.

As all medical procedures include potential risks, consult with a physician to understand such risks and potential benefits.