At Vertos, we empower healthcare providers and patients with minimally invasive treatments for LSS (lumbar spinal stenosis). After witnessing the impact that LSS has on millions of patients’ quality of life annually, it became not just our goal — but our mission — to help patients suffering from back pain reclaim their quality of life using the simplest, safest, most durable, and early treatment available.
Allowing patients to get back to what matters most to them is what matters most to us. From playing with their grandkids or golfing with friends to getting a better night’s sleep and doing it all over again, we want to help patients find joy every day by increasing their mobility and reducing their pain — in the least invasive way.
Our Journey
The story behind the mild® Procedure
In 2005, the mild® Procedure was created to fill a treatment gap for patients who developed spinal stenosis but were not willing or able to tolerate spine surgery.
Since then, patient access has expanded greatly and mild® serves as a standard of care for interventionalists nationwide. Thousands of patients are treated every year and the procedure is supported by FDA clearance, national Medicare coverage, leading medical institutions and national medical societies. Sixteen clinical trials, including Level 1 data, and over 30 peer-reviewed articles demonstrate that the mild® Procedure is just that - mild.
Our Values
At Vertos, we are driven to change the standard of care with durable, first-line treatments that improve quality of life for patients suffering from back pain
Empathy
We see the suffering that LSS patients endure and we want to make a lasting impact in their lives.
Integrity
We believe in the mild® Procedure, recommending it to friends, family and anyone who may benefit from it.
Innovation
We are in continuous pursuit to advance and provide optimal LSS care.
Collaboration
We partner with the nation’s leading institutions and healthcare providers to ensure LSS patients have access to mild® as a treatment option.
Let's Get Moving
Offering decades of experience and expertise in the healthcare field, our team continues to advance minimally invasive technologies to help the millions of patients suffering from LSS return to a better quality of life.
Our Leadership Team
Mort Albert
Vice President of Product Development
Mort Albert
Vice President of Product Development
Mr. Albert brings over 25 years of engineering experience to Vertos Medical, including more than 12 years of Product Development leadership at spinal orthopedic device companies. Throughout his career, he has showcased an ability to cultivate high-performing teams, foster cross-functional collaboration, accelerate new product introductions, and scale organizational capabilities to capitalize on market opportunities while meeting user needs.
Mr. Albert recently served in Product Development and Operations Leadership roles for Surgalign Spine Technologies. Previously, he held Product Development leadership positions at Spinal Elements and NuVasive, where his teams launched several innovative products.
Mr. Albert earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering from The University of Akron.
Kris Krustangel
Vice President of Sales
Kris Krustangel
Vice President of Sales
Mr. Krustangel is a medtech executive bringing over 20 years of experience within the industry. He joins Vertos as the Vice President of Sales. Previously, he held the position of Vice President of Global Commercial Strategy at Saluda Medical and spent the majority of his career at Boston Scientific, where he worked in various management levels, departing the company as the Area Vice President of Sales.
Mr. Krustangel holds a Bachelor of Arts degree of Marketing, Sales, and Information Systems from the University of Washington. His pursuits of higher education also include programs within the Wharton School and the Harvard Business School Executive Education Leadership Program.
David P. Lalor Jr.
Vice President of Operations, Regulatory Affairs & Quality Assurance
David P. Lalor Jr.
Vice President of Operations, Regulatory Affairs & Quality Assurance
Mr. Lalor brings to Vertos Medical over 25 years of medical device leadership experience in manufacturing, quality control and product development. Prior to joining Vertos Medical, Mr. Lalor held various operational and technical management positions at C. Brewer Co., ev3, Terumo, 3M Health Care, and Cardiovascular Devices Inc. (prior to its successful acquisition by 3M Health Care).
Mr. Lalor has been a key leader in successful product launches, scaling up manufacturing capacity, and improving product quality. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering from California State University, Long Beach.
Heidi Younan
Vice President of Marketing
Heidi Younan
Vice President of Marketing
Ms. Younan joined Vertos Medical in September 2009, serving as the Director of Marketing before progressing to the role of Vice President of Marketing. Her exceptional leadership skills, strategic vision, and innovative mindset have played a pivotal role in driving Vertos Medical's growth and overall success.
Before joining Vertos, Ms. Younan commenced her career in both business-to-business and consumer advertising, accumulating valuable experience across diverse industries, including healthcare, manufacturing, energy, and construction.
Ms. Younan earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Liberal Arts and Sciences with an emphasis in Advertising from San Diego State University.
Mr. Boggs is a Managing Partner at Revelation Partners, handling the firm’s overall investment process, operations, and limited partnership relationships. He has managed over $1.5 billion of capital dedicated to investing in secondary and direct investments and has provided liquidity solutions in a wide range of customized transactions including fund recapitalizations, investment portfolio divestments, continuation funds, and NAV loans. He oversees a portfolio of over 45 private healthcare investments and, in addition to Vertos Medical, serves on the boards of Nuvolo and Arcadia Health.
Mr. Boggs holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Business from the Haas School of Business at the University of California, Berkeley and was a member of the 2001, 2002 and 2004 rugby collegiate national championship teams.
Ittai Harel
Managing General Partner, Pitango HealthTech
Ittai Harel
Managing General Partner, Pitango HealthTech
Mr. Harel currently serves on the Board of Directors of DouxMatok, EarlySense, Medisafe, CLEW Medical, TScan, Connie Health, ImmuneID and Visby Medical. He also serves as the Chairman of the Board at EarlySense.
His investments focus on Digital Health, Health-IT and MedTech, and he brings with him over 15 years of experience in Venture Capital as well as 20 years of experience in operations and management roles. Before joining Pitango, Mr. Harel headed Corporate Development at Nektar Therapeutics (NASDAQ: NKTR), served as Executive Vice President roles at IDGene Pharmaceuticals and IDEXX Laboratories (NASDAQ: IDXX).
Mr. Harel holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology from Ben-Gurion University, and an MBA from the MIT Sloan School of Management.
Hugo Harrod
Partner, MVM Partners LLP
Hugo Harrod
Partner, MVM Partners LLP
Mr. Harrod is a partner at MVM Partners LLP, which he joined in 2005, and has managed investments from both the London and Boston offices. Mr. Harrod currently serves on the board of SkyCell AG. He was previously a director of Horizon Discovery Limited (LSE: HZD, acquired by PerkinElmer), AccuVein, Inc., and eZono AG, and led MVM’s investment into BioVex Limited (acquired by Amgen).
Mr. Harrod received financial training at KPMG, and holds a degree in Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry from Oxford University.
Daniel Pelak
Operating Partner, Welsh, Carson, Anderson & Stowe
Daniel Pelak
Operating Partner, Welsh, Carson, Anderson & Stowe
Mr. Pelak has served as a Director of Vertos since 2008. He is an Operating Partner with Welsh, Carson, Anderson & Stowe (WCAS), focusing on investments in the healthcare industry. Prior to joining WCAS, Mr. Pelak was the CEO of InnerPulse, Inc., a privately held, early-stage cardiac medical device company. Additionally, he was the CEO of Closure Medical Corporation, a publicly-traded biomaterial-based medical adhesive company, until its acquisition by Johnson & Johnson in 2005.
Mr. Pelak began his career in the medical device industry at Medtronic Inc., where he spent over 20 years. His executive assignments at Medtronic included worldwide responsibility for three different operating divisions as Vice President and General Manager, prior to those roles he was the Vice President of US Marketing.
During Mr. Pelak’s career he has served on the Board of Directors of 11 public and privately held medical device companies. Currently, in addition to the Vertos Board, he serves on the Alucent Medical Board of Directors.
Zack Scott
General Partner, Norwest Venture Partners
Zack Scott
General Partner, Norwest Venture Partners
Dr. Scott brings decades of experience in the healthcare industry to his role as General Partner at Norwest Venture Partners where he focuses on devices, diagnostics, healthtech and tech-enabled services. He previously served on the board of directors for Cianna Medical, Coherex Medical, Evidation Health, Providence Medical Technology, Respicardia, Spiration, and Syapse.
Prior to joining Norwest, Dr. Scott was the Co-Founder and Managing Partner of Revelation Partners, a dedicated secondary investor specializing in shareholder liquidity and growth capital for healthcare companies. During his time at Revelation Partners, he made notable investments in Omada Health, iRhythm Technologies (IPO), SetPoint Medical, and Respicardia (acquired by Zoll Medical).
Before working in private equity, Dr. Scott was a General Surgery resident at Oregon Health & Science University in Portland, Oregon. He earned his M.D. from the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio where he was a member of the AOA Medical Honors Society, and subsequently earned an MBA with a specialized certificate in Health Sector Management from The Fuqua School of Business at Duke University where he was a Fuqua Scholar.
Eric Wichems
President and Chief Executive Officer
Eric Wichems
President and Chief Executive Officer
Mr. Wichems joined Vertos Medical in September 2011 and served as Vice President of Sales and Marketing prior to becoming President, Chief Executive Officer and member of the Board of Directors. Previously, Mr. Wichems served as Director of Marketing for medical devices in the plastic surgery market for Allergan Medical. He has almost two decades of healthcare industry experience in marketing, sales, strategic planning, and operations at Vertos, Allergan and Johnson & Johnson.
Mr. Wichems earned a Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Virginia, a Master's degree in engineering from North Carolina State University, and an MBA from Duke University.
Our Media Coverage
Explore Articles, News Stories and Press Releases
5-Year Study Demonstrates 88% of mild® Patients Avoided Surgical Decompression for at Least 5 Years While Experiencing Significant Symptom Relief
According to the study, the mild® Procedure significantly decreased the incidence of surgical decompression at the same treatment level(s) as mild® intervention during five-year follow-up. Nine out of 75 patients required lumbar surgical decompression at the same level during the follow-up period, making the annual incidence of same-level lumbar-decompression surgery just 2.4%. Subjects experienced statistically significant pain relief and reduction of opioid medications utilization at 3, 6, and 12 months compared to baseline. There were no major complications reported.
At Vertos, we care. We care about patients. We care about the healthcare community. We care about our employees and we care about making a difference by changing the standard of care for the LSS community. If this resonates with you, and you’re a motivated and experienced professional, you may be a great fit for our team. We are proud to be an and would love to hear from you.
Every person is a valuable part of the team. Every voice is heard and respected. Employees demonstrate perseverance, integrity and a can-do attitude.
Life-changing Impact
We help thousands of patients find lasting relief from LSS pain and regain mobility each year with the mild® Procedure.
Dynamic Environment
Our forward-thinking abilities and fast-paced practices encourage employee growth, teamwork and autonomy across the organization.
Our Employees
Find out what our team has to say about Vertos and the mild® Procedure
To hear stories from patients about how they can walk, golf and spend more time with family is just incredible. I stand behind the mild® Procedure and love talking to anyone I can about it.
Initially I chose to work at Vertos because it offered the ability to create a market that really didn’t exist and a smaller company atmosphere/culture that allowed my voice to be heard as an employee.
The company has an incredible reputation around its culture for both performance and accountability. Team members are valued and there is a true opportunity to make changes in people's lives and within the company itself.
I was impressed with the strong sense of team and integrity, company-wide, as well as the vision and disruptive product that gives patients a safe yet effective option to address their chronic pain.
Benyamin RM, Staats PS, MiDAS ENCORE Investigators. mild® is an effective treatment for lumbar spinal stenosis with neurogenic claudication: MiDAS ENCORE Randomized Controlled Trial. Pain Physician. 2016;19(4):229-242.
Mekhail N, Costandi S, Abraham B, Samuel SW. Functional and patient-reported outcomes in symptomatic lumbar spinal stenosis following percutaneous decompression. Pain Pract. 2012;12(6):417-425. doi:10.1111/j.1533-2500.2012.00565.x.
2012 data from Health Market Sciences report for Vertos Medical 2013.
Data on file with Vertos Medical.
Staats PS, Chafin TB, Golvac S, et al. Long-term safety and efficacy of minimally invasive lumbar decompression procedure for the treatment of lumbar spinal stenosis with neurogenic claudication: 2-year results of MiDAS ENCORE. Reg Anesth Pain Med. 2018;43:789-794. doi:10.1097/AAP.0000000000000868.
Based on mild® Procedure data collected in all clinical studies. Major complications are defined as dural tear and blood loss requiring transfusion.
MiDAS ENCORE responder data. On file with Vertos Medical.
Jain S, Deer TR, Sayed D, et al. Minimally invasive lumbar decompression: a review of indications, techniques, efficacy and safety. Pain Manag. 2020;10(5). https://doi.org/10.2217/pmt-2020-0037. Accessed June 1, 2020.
Deer TR, Grider JS, Pope JE, et al. The MIST Guidelines: the Lumbar Spinal Stenosis Consensus Group guidelines for minimally invasive spine treatment. Pain Pract. 2019;19(3)250-274. doi:10.1111/papr.12744.
Hansson T, Suzuki N, Hebelka H, Gaulitz A. The narrowing of the lumbar spinal canal during loaded MRI: the effects of the disc and ligamentum flavum. Eur Spine J. 2009;18(5):679-686. doi:10.1007/s00586-009-0919-7.
Treatment options shown are commonly offered once conservative therapies (e.g., physical therapy, pain medications, chiropractic) are not providing adequate relief. This is not intended to be a complete list of all treatments available. Doctors typically recommend treatments based on their safety profile, typically prioritizing low risk/less aggressive procedures before higher risk/more aggressive procedures, but will determine which treatments are appropriate for their patients.
The mild® Procedure is a minimally invasive treatment for lumbar spinal stenosis. As with most surgical procedures, serious adverse events, some of which can be fatal, can occur, including heart attack, cardiac arrest (heart stops beating), stroke, and embolism (blood or fat that migrates to the lungs or heart). Other risks include infection and bleeding, spinal cord and nerve injury that can, in rare instances, cause paralysis. This procedure is not for everyone. Physicians should discuss potential risks with patients. For complete information regarding indications for use, warnings, precautions, and methods of use, please reference the devices’Instructions for Use.
Patient stories on this website reflect the results experienced by individuals who have undergone the mild® Procedure. Patients are not compensated for their testimonial. The mild® Procedure is intended to treat lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS) caused by ligamentum flavum hypertrophy. Although patients may experience relief from the procedure, individual results may vary. Individuals may have symptoms persist or evolve or other conditions that require ongoing medication or additional treatments. Please consult with your doctor to determine if this procedure is right for you.
Reimbursement, especially coding, is dynamic and changes every year. Laws and regulations involving reimbursement are also complex and change frequently. Providers are responsible for determining medical necessity and reporting the codes that accurately describe the work that is done and the products and procedures that are furnished to patients. For this reason, Vertos Medical strongly recommends that you consult with your payers, your specialty society, or the AMA CPT regarding coding, coverage and payment.
Vertos Medical cannot guarantee coding, coverage, or payment for products or procedures. View our Billing Guide.
Vertos is an equal employment opportunity workplace committed to pursuing and hiring a diverse workforce. We strive to grow our team with highly skilled people who share our culture and values. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to sex, age, color, race, religion, marital status, national origin, ancestry, sexual orientation, gender identity, physical & mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, veteran status, or any other basis protected by federal, state or local law.
Hall S, Bartleson JD, Onofrio BM, Baker HL Jr, Okazaki H, O’Duffy JD. Lumbar spinal stenosis. Clinical features, diagnostic procedures, and results of surgical treatment in 68 patients. Ann Intern Med. 1985;103(2):271-275. doi:10.7326/0003-4819-103-2-271.
Kalichman L, Cole R, Kim DH, et al. Spinal stenosis prevalence & association with symptoms: The Framingham Study. Spine J. 2009;9(7):545-550. doi:10.1016/j.spinee.2009.03.005.
Fukusaki M, Kobayashi I, Hara T, Sumikawa K. Symptoms of spinal stenosis do not improve after epidural steroid injection. Clin J Pain. 1998;14(2):148-151. doi:10.1097/00002508-199806000-00010.
Mekhail N, Costandi S, Nageeb G, Ekladios C, Saied O. The durability of minimally invasive lumbar decompression procedure in patients with symptomatic lumbar spinal stenosis: Long-term follow-up [published online ahead of print, 2021 May 4]. Pain Pract. 2021;10.1111/papr.13020. doi:10.1111/papr.13020
Friedly JL, Comstock BA, Turner JA, et al. Long-Term Effects of Repeated Injections of Local Anesthetic With or Without Corticosteroid for Lumbar Spinal Stenosis: A Randomized Trial. Arch Phys Med Rehabil. 2017;98(8):1499-1507.e2. doi:10.1016/j.apmr.2017.02.029
Pope J, Deer TR, Falowski SM. A retrospective, single-center, quantitative analysis of adverse events in patients undergoing spinal stenosis with neurogenic claudication using a novel percutaneous direct lumbar decompression strategy. J Pain Res. 2021;14:1909-1913. doi: 10.2147/JPR.S304997
Pryzbylkowski P, Bux A, Chandwani K, et al. Minimally invasive direct decompression for lumbar spinal stenosis: impact of multiple prior epidural steroid injections [published online ahead of print, 2021 Aug 4]. Pain Manag. 2021;10.2217/pmt-2021-0056. doi:10.2217/pmt-2021-0056
Abstract presented at: American Society of Pain and Neuroscience Annual Conference; July 22-25, 2021; Miami Beach, FL.
Mobility Matters: Low Back Pain in America, Harris Poll Survey, 2022. View data and full summary here.
Deer TR, Grider JS, Pope JE, et al. Best Practices for Minimally Invasive Lumbar Spinal Stenosis Treatment 2.0 (MIST): Consensus Guidance from the American Society of Pain and Neuroscience (ASPN). J Pain Res. 2022;15:1325-1354. Published 2022 May 5. doi:10.2147/JPR.S355285.
