Clinical Outcomes Associated With the Use of ViviGen® for the Treatment of Lumbar Degenerative Disc Disease

This is a prospective randomized, non-blinded, controlled study. Patients with a diagnosis of degenerative disc disease and/or up to grade I spondylolisthesis and planning to undergo a one or two-level instrumented posterolateral lumbar fusion surgery between L1-S1 will be screened. If eligible and the subject meets all the inclusion criteria and none of the exclusion criteria, the subject will be approached about study participation by the surgeon. If the subject agrees to participate, the consent process will be initiated by the study coordinator. Once the patient has been consented; data including medical history, neurological exam, patient questionnaires (visual analogue pain score (VAS), Oswestry low-back disability questionnaire (ODI), short form health survey (SF-36)) will be collected. Randomization will occur once a surgery date has been scheduled so the appropriate instrumentation can be boarded accordingly. A randomization envelope will reveal randomization treatment group. The envelopes will be generated in a 1:1 fashion and be randomly allocated to an assigned study identification number.

Subjects will be randomized to either: 1) treatment arm where the investigator will use an FDA approved/cleared DePuy Synthes spinal pedicle screw system with ViviGen® Cellular Bone Matrix mixed with cortical/cancellous allograft or the 2) control arm where the investigator use the same DePuy Synthes spinal pedicle screw system with local autologous bone graft mixed with cortical/cancellous allograft. Both treatment groups represent standard of care lumbar fusion surgeries using two types of bone graft options to create the arthrodesis as comparators.

Once the lumbar fusion surgery has taken place as planned; data will be collected regarding the surgery performed, including operative time, amount of bone graft used, spinal system used, length of hospital stay, and adverse events/complications.

Study subjects will be followed up at 6-weeks, 3-months, 6-months, and 12-months postoperatively at the private practice or clinic. During these routine (standard of care) postoperative visits, subjects will complete questionnaires (VAS, ODI, SF-36, patient satisfaction) and have neurological exam (lumbar spine exam, see appendix 1) completed by the investigator. Adverse events related to device and/or procedure will be evaluated as each postoperative visit. Anteroposterior (AP) and lateral x-rays will be performed at all visits with flexion and extension x-rays added at baseline, 3-months, 6-months, and 12-months. A CT scan of the lumbar spine will be performed during the 12-month postoperative time frame at the Beaumont-Royal Oak Imaging Center. Radiographic analysis will be performed and evaluated for fusion status as evidenced by bony bridging, presence of radiolucency, and development of pseudoarthrosis at each follow-up visit.

This study design reflects the current standard of care for lumbar spinal stenosis, degenerative disc disease and lumbar degenerative spondylolisthesis. Lumbar fusion surgery using pedicle screw fixation with autograft and allograft bone grafting options is treatment of choice after conservative (non-surgical) therapies have been implemented and failed.

Addendum:

• In order to protect the well-being of patients and in compliance with the current state mandated shelter in place order, follow-up visits will be completed via telephone visit by the study coordinator when possible. This includes patient reported outcomes and adverse event reporting. Some parts of the study visit may not be completed over the phone such as lumbar x-rays, neuro exam, and CT scan (at 12-months postop); these missing (or scheduled at a later date) protocol specific items will be noted as a protocol deviation with the reason being due to COVID-19.
• If a televisit is not possible, the visit may be rescheduled at a later date. Therefore, out of window and missing visits will be recorded as protocol deviations with the reason being due to COVID-19.
• Subject follow-up visits will be rescheduled in the office once the acute phase of the pandemic has subsided if the study visit is not substantially out of window.
• Subject enrollment is on hold until the acute phase of the pandemic has subsided but screening will continue.

Inclusion criteria

• ≥18 years of age
• Able to provide consent
• Is undergoing standard of care one or two-level instrumented posterolateral fusion at the level between L1-S1
• Has diagnosis of spinal stenosis, degenerative disc disease and/or up to Grade 1 spondylolisthesis
• Requires decompression at intended fusion level (multi-level decompression allowed L1-S1)
• Has failed 6-weeks or more of conservative, non-operative treatment
• Has back and/or radicular lumbar symptoms with ODI score of ≥ 30 preoperatively.

Exclusion criteria

• Any prior lumbar fusion surgery
• Requires fusion of more than two levels
• Requires an interbody fusion based on relevant diagnoses and factors (such as foraminal stenosis, degree of spondylolisthesis, spinal deformity, disc space collapse, and subject's age) as determined by investigator
• BMI > 40
• Active systemic infection or infection at operative site
• History of an osteoporotic fracture and/or vertebral body fracture
• Is currently being treated with chemotherapy, radiation, immunosuppression or chronic steroid therapy
• History of osteoporosis, osteopenia, or osteomalacia that would contraindicate spinal surgery
• Psychological or physical condition in the opinion of the investigator that would interfere with subject self-assessments
• History of neurological condition in the opinion of the investigator that may affect lumbar function and pain assessments
• Subjects with a history of cancer must be disease free for at least 3 years
• Pregnant, or plans on becoming pregnant