Kevin Pauza
NationalityAmerican
EducationPennsylvania State University

University of Pennsylvania

Columbia University College of Physicians & Surgeons Lehigh University
Years active1990-present
Known forSpinal disc treatment, Discseel
Medical career
ProfessionPhysiatrist, Texas Spine and Joint Hospital
Sub-specialtiesPhysical Medicine & Rehabilitation
Websitehttp://drkevinpauza.com

Kevin Pauza is an American physiatrist and interventional spine specialist. He is the co-founder of the Texas Spine and Joint Hospital located in Tyler, Texas.[1] Pauza developed the Discseel procedure[2] for the treatment of spinal disorders known as the Pauza Disc Treatment,[3] which claims to repair re-grow discs without a spinal fusion.[4][5][6]

Pauza has treated many international clients for chronic back pain and spinal disc degeneration, and even claims to have served as a medical advisor to the Saudi royal family.[7][8]

Early life

Kevin Pauza was born on December 15, 1964, in Hershey, Pennsylvania, with twin sister Jill Ann Pauza. He and his three siblings grew up on his parents' farm. His mother, Gail Ann Pauza, was a registered nurse, and his father, William Vito Pauza, is a farmer, land conservationist,[9] and inventor.

Career

Pauza is a physiatrist and a founding partner of the Texas Spine and Joint Hospital in Tyler, Texas.[10] Pauza received degrees from University of Pennsylvania, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, Penn State College of Medicine, and Lehigh University.

Outside of treating patients with chronic lower back pain and degenerative disc disease, Pauza is on the editorial panel of several scientific journals, committees and boards.[11] He established the John Dehaan Foundation which annually awards $250,000 for advances in nonsurgical spinal treatment.[11] In 2008, Penn State College of Medicine recognized Pauza with the Alumni Fellow Award.[12] Pauza served on the advisory board of several medical tech companies.

Pauza Disc Treatment

Pauza developed the Pauza Disc Treatment and Biostat System,[13] a minimally invasive procedure that repairs and re-grows discs for the treatment of spinal pain and disorders including degenerative disc disease.[14] Pauza holds a series of 16 patents for a device and Discseel biologic that support the treatment. The procedure involves injecting two components of blood plasma, thrombin and fibrinogen, which combine to make fibrin, into damaged spinal discs[15][16] for the treatment of spinal conditions such as degenerative disc disease, back pain and chronic low back pain, or internal disc disruption.[13] The Biostat intradiscal fibrin sealant underwent multiple Food and Drug Administration studies to become an FDA approved Discseel biologic that reduces back pain and regrows degenerated spinal discs.[13][17][18] On July 18, 2013, it was announced the results of its Phase III Investigational New Drug study had not met its success criteria, and injections of the Fibrin Sealant were not statistically significantly better than saline injections.[19][20] As of early 2021, major insurance providers still classify Discseel as an experimental or investigational procedure, given weaknesses in the positive studies and a general lack of medical community acknowledgement or randomized controlled trials on the treatment.[21][22]

Disciplinary actions and charges of malpractice

In 2013 Pauza was reprimanded by and entered into a disciplinary agreement with the Texas State Medical Board. The Medical Board found that Pauza failed to meet expected standards of care, failed to follow the board's guidelines for the treatment of pain, failed to keep adequate medical records and failed to cooperate with board staff.[23] Two years later the Board extended the order, after it "found Dr. Pauza’s medical records for the patient at issue were inadequate and that Dr. Pauza’s stated rationale for prescribing a medication as a sleep aid and for treating the patient with corticosteroid injections after a five-year treatment hiatus were inadequate."[24] In 2018 he was reprimanded again for failing to document his rationale behind a diagnosis of lumbar disc pain and lumbar radiculopathy, and for failing to document either that he had considered simpler and less invasive treatment options for the patient than the procedure he performed, or that his patient had chosen to forego conventional treatment.[25] In both incidents he was required to take remedial education in risk management and related subjects.

References

  1. ↑ Swanson, Holly (October 2008). "Alumni Profile: Kevin Pauza". Penn State Medicine. 18 (2): 44.
  2. ↑ "BACK PAIN: IDET procedure proven effective in randomized study". Health and Medicine Week: 4. October 21, 2002.
  3. ↑ Massey, Bob. "New procedure may offer alternative to spine surgery". Charlotte Sun. Archived from the original on May 31, 2013. Retrieved August 13, 2015.
  4. ↑ Freeman, Karen (October 24, 2000). "For Back Pain Sufferers, a Technique Under Study May Offer Hope". New York Times. Retrieved August 13, 2015.
  5. ↑ "A new hope for back pain sufferers?". CBS News. May 6, 2012. Retrieved August 13, 2015.
  6. ↑ Esquivel, Stephanie. "East Texas doctors fight to prevent opioid use". CBS News. Retrieved 13 August 2015.
  7. ↑ Morris, Risa. "Saudi Arabian King Abdullah had a strong link to East Texas". KYTX19. Retrieved 2021-07-04.
  8. ↑ "Late Saudi King Abdullah has strong connection in East Texas". KLTV. Retrieved 13 August 2015.
  9. ↑ "South Londonderry Township Planning Commission, Current Members". South Londonderry Township. Retrieved 16 December 2019.
  10. ↑ Weiss, Frances (May 8, 2012). "Chronic Back Pain? Spinal Fusion May be the Wrong Surgery". New Jersey Newsroom. Archived from the original on July 3, 2015. Retrieved August 13, 2015.
  11. 1 2 "Groundbreaking Spinal Treatment Spurs Saudi Interest". Penn State College of Medicine. March 2011. Retrieved August 13, 2015.
  12. ↑ "College of Medicine seeks nominations for Alumni Fellow Award". Pennsylvania State College of Medicine. October 22, 2008. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved August 13, 2015.
  13. 1 2 3 "Treatment of Symptomatic Lumbar Internal Disc Disruption (IDD) With the Biostat System". U.S. National Institutes of Health. 5 May 2014. Retrieved August 13, 2015.
  14. ↑ "Texas Doctor finds Revolutionary Treatment for Backpain". Sky Valley Chronicle. May 6, 2012. Retrieved August 13, 2015.
  15. ↑ Massey, Bob. "New procedure may offer alternative to spine surgery". Charlotte Sun. Archived from the original on May 31, 2013. Retrieved August 13, 2015.
  16. ↑ Karpis, Paulina (April 2, 2010). "Cutting-edge surgery aids student". The Dartmouth. Retrieved August 13, 2015.
  17. ↑ Yin, Way; Pauza, Kevin; Olan, Wayne J.; Doerzbacher, Jeff F.; Thorne, Kevin J. (January 2014). "Intradiscal Injection of Fibrin Sealant for the Treatment of Symptomatic Lumbar Internal Disc Disruption: Results of a Prospective Multicenter Pilot Study with 24-Month Follow-Up". Pain Medicine. 15 (1): 16–31. doi:10.1111/pme.12249. PMID 24152079.
  18. ↑ Eisner, Walter (October 26, 2012). "Spinal Restoration Secures Funding for FDA Process". RRY Publications. Archived from the original on December 23, 2015. Retrieved August 13, 2015.
  19. ↑ "Spinal Restoration, Inc. Announces Disappointing Phase III Study Results for the Biostat® System". www.businesswire.com. 2013-07-18. Retrieved 2019-04-15.
  20. ↑ "New Disc Treatment: DISCSEEL™ to Heal? - Regenexx Blog". Regenexx. 2016-06-02. Retrieved 2019-10-05.
  21. ↑ Aetna (2021-03-19). "Back Pain - Invasive Procedures". Retrieved 2021-07-04.
  22. ↑ Tufts Health Plan (2021-06-21). "Medical Necessity Guidelines: Noncovered Investigational Services". Retrieved 2021-07-04.
  23. ↑ "2 local doctors reprimanded by state board". Tyler Morning Telegraph. 2013-09-13. Retrieved 2019-10-05.
  24. ↑ "Tyler doctor among 40 disciplined by medical board". Tyler Morning Telegraph. 2015-06-25. Retrieved 2019-10-05.
  25. ↑ Schneider, Jarrett (September 10, 2018). "TMB disciplines 35 physicians at August meeting, adopts rules changes". Texas Medical Board. p. 3. Retrieved 2020-07-11.
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