BOSTON, MA – September 2, 2025 – Intrinsic Therapeutics, Inc., a medical
technology company committed to redefining the standard of care for lumbar
discectomy patients with large annular defects by reducing reoperations for
reherniations by 81%* with its Barricaid Annular Closure Device, announced
today that, for the first time, the Barricaid device has been successfully
implanted in several patients while they were awake and without the use of
general anesthesia. The procedures were performed by Ernest E. Braxton Jr., MD,
MBA, a Board-Certified neurosurgeon that specializes in minimally invasive and
awake spine surgery in Vail, Colorado.
“Awake spine surgery allows for a faster recovery, and it
lets me talk to the patient during the procedure to confirm in real time that we
have relieved the pressure on the nerve. By avoiding general anesthesia and
placing the Barricaid right after decompression and discectomy, we dramatically
reduce the risk of reherniation and the need for another costly surgery that
often involves a fusion,” said Dr. Braxton.
During awake surgery a patient is given local and regional anesthetic
ensuring that no pain is felt during the procedure. The surgeon is able to
examine the patient’s neurologic condition during surgery and help the surgeon
locate the pain generator. The patient remains alert and is able to communicate
with the surgeon throughout the operation. Direct feedback helps encourage
safer handling of neurologic structures. Patients often experience faster recovery,
quicker mobilization, and reduced overall pain levels compared to traditional
spine surgery. Awake spine surgery can help reduce the potential risks
associated with general anesthesia such as nausea, and confusion after surgery.
Dr. Braxton has been performing awake spine surgery for over a decade.
Jake Tanner, Vice President of Marketing for Intrinsic
Therapeutics, stated, “As clinical acceptance of Barricaid grows, it is
inspiring to see surgeons like Dr. Braxton combining advanced techniques with
Barricaid for an optimized discectomy solution. Surgeons are starting to
realize that Barricaid is compatible with most discectomy approaches for indicated
patients. This is a win-win for the surgeon and the patient.”
About Barricaid
Barricaid is a proprietary technology designed to prevent
reherniation and reoperation in patients with large annular defects following
lumbar discectomy surgery. Barricaid has been implanted in over 12,000
patients and is supported by clinical studies across eight distinct patient
populations, including two randomized controlled trials and six single-arm studies.
A multicenter, Level I RCT demonstrating superior outcomes to discectomy alone was
published in JAMA with five-year follow-up results.
*Some studies are outside FDA indications. Values at a
minimum of 1-year post-op. Minimum study size: 20 Barricaid subjects.
Media Contact: Jake Tanner, VP of Marketing – 760-525-9739 –
jtanner@barricaid.com
Barricaid is a registered trademark of Intrinsic Therapeutics, Inc.