St. Mary’s of Michigan

Dr. Schell: The Trans1 procedure is another valuable tool we can put in our toolbox.

St. Mary's of Michigan neurosurgeon Dr. Gerald Schell is now performing a groundbreaking minimally invasive spinal fusion procedure known as the Trans1 AxiaLIF. The Trans1 is a welcome alternative to the more traditional spinal fusion which involves large incisions and complicated dissections of muscles and nerves. "This new procedure usually takes less than an hour as compared to traditional fusion which could take as long as four hours," says Dr. Schell. "The Trans1 procedure only involves a small 1-inch incision near the tailbone, so there's less blood loss and less trauma to muscles, nerves and surrounding tissue."

The minimally invasive procedure means patients are usually released from the hospital within 24-hours following the surgery and they often can return to their daily routines and work within two to three weeks. "The Trans1 procedure is another valuable tool we can put in our toolbox," Dr. Schell says. "The main benefits are the dramatic decrease in operating-room time, length of stay for the patient, and more rapid rehabilitation."

Dr. Schell, who has performed 70 of the surgeries since July of 2007, has become so proficient with the new procedure that representatives from the Trans1 company are being sent to Saginaw to train and to observe the surgery. The only other surgeons in Michigan who utilize the Trans1 are located in Grand Rapids and Southfield.