First Ever Awake Sedation Implant Done by Intrinsic Therapeutics with the Barricaid Annular Closure Device
Intrinsic Therapeutics, a medical technology company, has successfully implanted its Barricaid Annular Closure Device in several patients while they remained awake, marking the first time this procedure has been done without general anesthesia. Dr. Ernest E. Braxton Jr., a neurosurgeon specializing in awake and minimally invasive spine surgery, performed the operations in Vail, Colorado.
The new approach uses local and regional anesthesia, enabling patients to provide real-time feedback during the procedure to confirm that nerve pressure has been relieved. Dr. Braxton has been performing awake surgery for more than a decade. Some benefits include a faster recovery period, reduced pain, and fewer risks commonly associated with general anesthesia, such as nausea or postoperative confusion.
Barricaid is a device designed to reduce reherniation and reoperation rates in patients with significant annular defects following lumbar discectomy surgery. It has been implanted in more than 12,000 patients, with clinical studies, including randomized controlled trials and six single-arm studies.
Posted by MedCloudInsider Editors on 09/21/2025