Linthicum Heights

This study aims to collect prospective safety and effectiveness data for the C-Brace System, a microprocessor-controlled knee ankle foot orthosis, following standard care practices. The research focuses on patients with lower extremity pareses who are fitted with the C-Brace device. The goal is to better understand how the C-Brace influences walking speed, balance, risk of falling, and confidence in balance over time. The C-Brace is a custom-made device with thigh, calf, and foot components connected by an ankle joint or spring element. It uses sensors to continuously monitor knee joint movement and walking phases, adjusting hydraulic resistance and knee motion accordingly. Patients enrolled in the registry will undergo baseline evaluation, fitting, training or therapy sessions, and follow-up visits at 6, 12, 24, and 36 months after fitting. Participants will be assessed through various tests including timed walk tests, balance confidence scores, and mobility assessments at different intervals. The study also tracks falls related to device use and changes in activity levels with an activity tracker. Data collected will help characterize the safety and functional impact of the C-Brace over three years of follow-up.

Researchers are comparing the rates of surgical and minimally invasive interventions, as well as any harms, in Medicare beneficiaries treated with the MILD procedure versus those treated with interspinous process decompression IPD for lumbar spinal stenosis with neurogenic claudication. This observational study uses Medicare claims data to follow patients for 24 months after their initial procedure starting from January 1, 2017. The purpose is to evaluate outcomes between these two types of procedures without requiring prior patient enrollment or consent. The study includes two groups patients who received MILD, which is a percutaneous image-guided lumbar decompression performed under fluoroscopic guidance through a dorsal approach to the spine, and patients who received IPD, a different device-based decompression procedure. Data on reoperations and complications will be collected for both groups over a 24-month follow-up period using Medicare claims. Enrollment continues until the sponsor decides to stop. Participants involvement is passive as the study uses existing Medicare claims data. Researchers will monitor rates of harms related to the initial procedure and subsequent surgical or minimally invasive interventions over two years. No direct patient visits or interventions are conducted, and the study is exempt from institutional review board oversight. The total study duration extends to December 2026, covering cases treated since early 2017.