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The Maryland Spine Center:
Research & Publications

The Maryland Spine Center provides compassionate patient care as well as focuses on research to enhance the capabilities of treating complex spinal deformities and injuries.

The Maryland Spine Center is proud to be one of six centers in the United States to participate in a groundbreaking adult scoliosis trial sponsored by The National Institutes of Health.

The physicians of The Maryland Spine Center are widely published in medical journals and textbooks and Dr. Charles Edwards holds numerous medical patents.

Adult Scoliosis Clinical Trial Sponsored by NIH

The Maryland Spine Center has been chosen as one of six centers in the United States to participate in the first ever National Institutes of Health-sponsored clinical trial for adult spinal deformity. The trial will evaluate the effectiveness of surgical and non-surgical treatments in adults with scoliosis. Adult scoliosis affects about six million people in the United States.

The trial will enroll 300 people with adult symptomatic lumbar scoliosis over a five-year period. To be eligible for this study, one must:

• Be 40 to 80 years of age
• Have a scoliosis curve greater than 30° with the apex of the curve in the lumbar spine

Selected participants will be followed for five years and will be asked to:

• Fill out periodic health questionnaires
• Complete a functional treadmill test
• Have routine X-rays
• Have regular physician office visits

Study participants will be invited to choose one of three options in which to participate:

• Option 1: Non-surgical treatment, which includes interventions such as injections, medication, physical therapy and exercise
• Option 2: Surgical treatment, which involves relieving nerve pressure, straightening of the spine, and fusing bone
• Option 3: Undecided course of treatment, from which participants randomly are selected for either non-surgical or surgical treatments

For more information about the adult scoliosis clinical trial or to find out if you are eligible to participate, please contact Lisa Ford, PA, Maryland Spine Center Research Coordinator, at auntweesa2@yahoo.com,  or Ryan Andrews, Maryland Spine Center Research Assistant, at randrews@mdmercy.com or by calling 410-332-9077.

View the research and publications for:

Dr. Charles C. Edwards
Dr. Charles C. Edwards, II
Dr. Clayton L. Dean
Dr. Brian D. Steinmetz
Dr. Mara Vucich

Medical patents of Dr. Charles Edwards:

1. Edwards, C.C.: Spinal Rod-Sleeve fixation device and method, U.S. Patent #4,369,769, Government Printing Office: 1980-0-315-432, pg. 1-9, Jan. 1983.

2. Edwards, C.C.: The Anatomic-design spinal hook, U.S. Patent No. 4,567,884 issued Feb 4, 1986, Government Printing Office, Washington, DC.

3. Edwards, C.C.: The Sacral Fixation Device and Spinal Screw System, U.S. Pat. No. 4,569,338, issued Feb. 4, Wash., DC. French Patent No. FR 85-01838 issued June 13, 1988 (20 pgs) Institut National de la Properiete Industriale, Paris British Patent No. 2154296B sealed 2/10/88 (20 pgs) London

4. Edwards, C.C.: Spinal Compression/Distraction Hooks. United Kingdom Patent GB-2-131-300 (26 pgs) issued July 16, 1986, the Patent Office, London, England.

5. Edwards, C.C., Mears, D., Chapman, M.: Expanding dome (hip bolt) and rod connector for hip fixation, U.S. Patent 4,776,330, issued 1988, Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C. Also issued in Germany.

6. Bogart, Chapman, M., Edwards, C.C., Mears, D.: Ratcheting forceps with interchangeable jaws for fracture and plate manipulation. U.S. Patent 4,896,661. Issued 1990. Also issued in Spain and most European countries. Canadian Patent 1,302,827 issued June 9, 1992.

7. Edwards, C.C.: Adjustable pedicle connector permitting translational control of lumbar vertebrae. U.S. Patent pending.

8. Mears, D., Edwards, C.C., and Chapman, M.: A modular femoral fixation system. U.S. Patents 4,776,330 and 5,041,114 issued 1992. European Patent 91202411.4 issued 1991.

9. Chapman, M., Mears, D., Edwards, C.C.: Bone plates for use in modular fixation system. Canadian Patent 1,328,955 issued May 3, 1994, U.S. Patent 5,364,398.

10. Mears, D., Edwards, C.C., Chapman, M.: Digital buttress plate for use in femoral fixation. U.S. Patent 5,190,544 issued 1993, Canadian Patent 1,328,956 issued May 3, 1994 and most European countries.

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