Traditionally, surgery for lumbar stenosis involves the removal of bone and ligament that are compressing the nerves.  This surgery is termed laminectomy and partial facetectomy.   Minimally invasive spinal surgery is a more focused operation but still involves the removal of some of the structures of the spine to create a greater opening for the nerves to pass through.

The X STOP was devised to produce a more open space for the nerve without removing any bone or ligament. The X STOP does this by distracting the spinous process apart by a very slight degree. This distraction of the spinous process will, in turn, create a larger space around the underlying nerves because the facet is distracted and the ligaments pressing upon the nerves are stretched.