How Does the Vertiflex® Procedure Work?

Lumbar spinal stenosis narrows your spinal canal and puts pressure on nerves, and living with the condition can make standing, walking, and other simple daily movements painful. While it’s possible to find relief with conservative treatments like physical therapy, pain medications, or injections, those approaches don't always work for everyone.

Enter the Vertiflex® Superion® Indirect Decompression System. The Vertiflex procedure offers a minimally invasive option that bridges the gap when conservative care isn’t enough, but you’re not ready for major spine surgery.

Our team at Centers for Pain Control and Vein Care in Hobart, La Porte, Merrillville, Munster, and Valparaiso, Indiana, offers this unique treatment option, and here’s what you need to know about what Vertiflex is and how it works.

The basics of the Vertiflex procedure

Vertiflex is a small, FDA-approved implant that’s placed between the spinous processes of adjacent vertebrae in your lumbar spine to help reduce symptoms of spinal stenosis like leg pain, numbness, and weakness.

Unlike more aggressive spine surgeries, Vertiflex doesn’t require removing bone or disc tissue. Instead, it works by gently holding open space in your spinal canal so that nerves no longer get pinched when you stand or walk.

One of the key benefits is that the procedure preserves spinal motion. Your spine is not fused, so you retain flexibility and future surgical options remain open.

Are you a good candidate?

We might recommend Vertiflex for you if:

• You have moderate to severe lumbar spinal stenosis confirmed by imaging
• Your symptoms worsen when standing or walking, but improve when leaning forward or sitting (this pattern is sometimes called neurogenic claudication) 
• Conservative treatments like physical therapy, medications, or injections haven’t worked well enough 
• You want a less invasive option than open spine surgery, or you’re not an ideal candidate for traditional surgery due to health risks

Vertiflex can be a great option for spinal stenosis symptoms, but it’s important to remember that it isn’t ideal for everyone. Severe deformity, significant instability, or extensive spinal disease may require different approaches, and our team is here to assess your spine anatomy, symptoms, and overall health to help you make an informed choice about your care.

What to expect during the Vertiflex procedure

We typically do Vertiflex on an outpatient basis, which means you won’t stay overnight in the hospital. It usually takes around 20-30 minutes and doesn’t require removal of bone or ligament tissue.

To start the procedure, you’ll lie face down on an imaging table, we administer local anesthesia (numbing medication) and sedation to keep you comfortable, then we clean and prep the surgical area.

Next, we make a tiny incision — often less than half an inch long — near the target vertebrae. Using live imaging (fluoroscopy) as a guide, we insert a small tubular dilator to create a path to the space between the adjacent vertebrae.

We move the Vertiflex Superion implant through the tube to the correct position. Once it’s in place, we expand its arms to hold the vertebrae slightly apart, which restores space for the nerves and decompresses the constricted area. Finally, we close the incision and move you to recovery, where you’ll stay for a brief period before going home.

Many patients notice some relief of leg or back symptoms in the first few days after surgery, and you can expect full recovery to take several weeks. You’ll return for follow-up visits to monitor your healing, and we may use imaging or functional assessments to confirm that the implant remains in place and working effectively.

If you're exploring treatment options for lumbar spinal stenosis and want to know whether the Vertiflex procedure is a good fit for you, schedule a consultation online or by phone today at Centers for Pain Control and Vein Care. We’re here to evaluate your needs and create a treatment plan that gives you real, lasting relief.