On August 27, San Diego-area Patient Ambassadors and spine surgeons gathered for an Open House at the headquarters of NuVasive, Inc., the medical device company that pioneered the minimally disruptive XLIF® procedure. The family event featured tours of the NuVasive training O.R. and biomechanical testing laboratory, product demonstrations, and talks by The Better Way Back® spokesmen Bill Walton and Nate Quarry. Patient Ambassadors welcomed the opportunity to learn more about the XLIF procedure and other types of spine surgery, as well as the chance to show their families the interbodies, screws, and plates that they have in their backs.
“It was great meeting The Better Way Back team, seeing technical displays, talking with the presenters, listening to Bill Walton, Nate Quarry, and the other speakers, and meeting other patients. Then being able to have long talks with Bill and Nate was extraordinary!” said Jim Matteson, an XLIF patient who attended the Open House event just one month after his surgery. “Then I was invited into the ‘lab’ where the teaching is done and I was able to see up-close surgery being done on a cadaver. This was my surgery! I was impressed with the somewhat intimidating setting that spine surgeons practice in.”
Likewise, NuVasive employees jumped at the opportunity to meet the patients benefiting from their work. “It’s these types of events that really make me feel connected to what we do,” said Brett Pearson, senior operating room technician at NuVasive.
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