Experience with coflex interspinous implant.

A first generation of Coflex implant for non-rigid stabilization of lumbar spine was presented by Samani (Study of a semi-rigid interspinous U fixation system. Spinal Surgery, Child Orthopaedics: 1707, 2000).We started to treat patients with this Coflex device in 2004 and since then more than 600 patients have been operated in our Neurosurgical Department. We are reporting 156 patients treated between December 2004 and 2006 with complete follow-up. The clinical trials of this and other implants provide evidence that this interspinous non-rigid stabilization is useful against low-back pain due to degenerative instability and without serious complications.