Tiger Woods Makes Career Comeback After Spinal Fusion Surgery
NEW YORK, June 11, 2019 /PRNewswire/ — Centinel Spine®, LLC, the largest privately-held spine company focused on anterior column reconstruction, today announced an important partnership with one of the most winning professional athletes of all time, Tiger Woods. This partnership brings together two leaders in their field and supports Centinel Spine’s mission to educate the public on spinal disease and treatment options that allow individuals to continue to function at a high level.
Tiger Woods underwent spinal fusion surgery using Centinel Spine’s STALIF M-Ti™ product in April 2017 to alleviate ongoing, debilitating pain in his back and legs. The Anterior Lumbar Interbody Fusion (ALIF) surgery using Centinel Spine’s STALIF M-Ti™ fusion implant was so successful that it allowed Tiger to complete his PGA Tour comeback after almost three years of golf inactivity, culminating with his April win at the 83rd Masters—his first major win in eleven years.
Tiger Woods’s recovery and return to the pinnacle of the PGA Tour has been nothing short of miraculous. “I’m a walking miracle,” said Woods. “I had low periods for 4-6 months, where there were times I had to be helped out of bed. There were some days when I couldn’t stand up. Coming back and playing golf was never in my thoughts, I just wanted the pain to go away—I wanted to live my life again with Sam and Charlie. The results of the surgery speak for themselves. I did a lot of research into the various spinal surgical procedures available to me and was convinced that surgery through an anterior approach represented the best option. I relied on Dr. Richard Guyer to direct me to the right solution for my back which was the Centinel Spine product. I have regained my life, and playing golf again at this level, is just an added bonus. My surgery has had a profound impact on me and my family, and I thank my spine surgeon and the technology provided by Centinel Spine.”
The partnership with Tiger Woods opens up a broader patient population that Centinel Spine can reach and educate. “Centinel Spine’s mission is to address spinal disease and allow individuals to continue to function at a high level—even after major spine surgery,” said Centinel Spine Chairman & CEO John Viscogliosi. “Centinel Spine has a history of developing products supported by strong clinical evidence, that are purposefully designed to allow patients to return to their lives faster, and with the peace of mind that the implant in their body is reliable and of the highest quality. Centinel Spine is thrilled to be partnered with Tiger Woods, but is most proud that Tiger can now live his life and enjoy playing with his children—an even bigger win than the Masters. We look forward to working together to better educate individuals suffering from pain and discomfort.”
The Centinel Spine product implanted in Tiger Woods was the M-Ti™ Anterior Lumbar Integrated Interbody fusion device. Centinel Spine founded the Integrated Interbody™ category in 1988 through the launch of the revolutionary Hartshill Horseshoe product, the first anterior lumbar interbody fusion device in the world. This first-of-its-kind device was the basis for future generations of the market-leading technology platform known today as STALIF®. STALIF technology has a 30-year clinical history, with over 65,000 devices implanted worldwide, and still remains the only stand-alone Integrated Interbody device demonstrating biomechanical equivalence to anterior plate and cage constructs in independent peer-reviewed publications.
In conjunction with the Tiger Woods partnership, Centinel Spine has announced the launch of a patient platform called rediscover (www.rediscovermylife.org) that is dedicated to offering more than just a spine-focused website. rediscover is an inspirational Spine Community of former pain-sufferers coming together to tell their stories of triumph over adversity. It is a resource for potential patients seeking information and guidance needed to not only return them to their lives before spine-related pain, but flourish post-surgery. The rediscover platform also features a “Surgeon Locator”, allowing potential patients to find local surgeons utilizing Centinel Spine’s advanced technologies, including the Centinel Spine STALIF M-Ti™ implant used with Tiger Woods.
About Centinel Spine, LLC
Centinel Spine®, LLC is the largest privately-held spine company focused on anterior column reconstruction. The company offers a continuum of trusted, brand-name motion-preserving and fusion solutions backed by over 30 years of clinical success—providing the most robust and clinically-proven Total Disc Replacement and Integrated Interbody™ portfolios in the world.
The company began operations in 2008 through the merger-acquisition of two pioneering medical device companies—Raymedica, LLC and Surgicraft, LTD. In 1988, UK-based Surgicraft launched the first Stand-Alone/No Profile® anterior lumbar interbody fusion device in the world, which was the basis for future generations of the market-leading Integrated Interbody technology platform known today as STALIF®. Today, Centinel Spine still embraces the pioneering culture developed at both originating companies and continues its corporate mission to become the worldwide leading company addressing spinal disease anteriorly with the widest breadth & depth of technology platforms.
The company recently acquired the prodisc® Total Disc Replacement Technology Platform—the most extensive cervical and lumbar motion-preserving reconstruction portfolio available today. With the addition of prodisc, Centinel Spine stands alone as the only company with comprehensive motion-preserving and fusion solutions for both cervical and lumbar anterior column reconstruction.
Centinel Spine, LLC was founded by Viscogliosi Brothers, LLC (VB), headquartered in New York City and specializing in venture capital, private equity and merchant banking for the neuromusculoskeletal industry. The firm creates, builds, operates, and finances companies founded on surgeon development innovation to address unmet clinical needs uniquely focused on “life-changing” neuromusculoskeletal technologies.
Centinel Spine derived its name from the “Sentinel Sign”, the radiographic confirmation of a successful fusion anterior to the interbody device.
