Here are eight things for spinal surgeons to know for Sept. 21, 2017.
Fired Swedish Health neurosurgeon receives $17.5M award in wrongful termination suit
An arbitrator awarded former Seattle-based Swedish Health neurosurgeon David Newell, MD, millions of dollars in connection with his firing last year. Dr. Newell contends the firing was due to questioning a colleague's practices; the health system disagrees, according to the Seattle Times. Read more about the case, here.
Implanet reports 19% increase in spine revenue for 1st half of 2017
Implanet reported six-month revenue increased 1 percent over the same period last year, driven by a 19 percent increase in spine revenue. Jazz implant sales drove the increase in revenue for the first half of the year. The spine segment now accounts for 58 percent of the company's total revenue, offsetting expected decreases in the knee and arthroscopy lines.
Former Cleveland Clinic executive charged in $2.7M fraud scheme
The former executive director of Cleveland Clinic Innovations, the development and commercialization arm of Cleveland Clinic, has been charged for his role in a conspiracy to defraud the hospital system out of more than $2.7 million, according to the Department of Justice. Read more about the case, here.
Dr. Wicharn Yingsakmongkol becomes 1st surgeon to use Mazor Robotics' PROIat
Wicharn Yingsakmongkol, MD, became the first surgeon to use Mazor Robotics' PROIat in Bangkok, Thailand. PROIat is a single position solution for placing pedicle screws and other spinal hardware in the lateral decubitus position with the Renaissance Guidance System.
Augmedics to put $8.3M Series A Funding toward ViZOR MIS spine platform
Augmedics secured $8.3 million in Series A Funding for its augmented-reality surgical visualization system, ViZOR System. Augmedics initially designed the AR system for minimally invasive spine surgery. The system features "patented see-through AR optics to project a 3-D image of a patient's spine onto a surgeon's retina, in real-time, with surgical precision and outstanding depth perception."
Drs. John Peloza, Larry Khoo review Careventure's lumbar decompression system
Carevature Medical announced its preliminary clinical results of Dreal, a spinal decompression and bone removal system. John Peloza, MD, and Larry Khoo, MD, gave their reviews of the system. Dreal is the first curved device powerful enough to cut bone and small enough for use in all sections of the spine. Read their reviews, here.
K2M launches Everest Minimally Invasive XTower instrumentation system
K2M launched the Everest Minimally Invasive XTower instrumentation globally, an enhancement to the Everest MI XT Spinal System. The company launched the Everest MI XT Spinal System in 2016. XTower instrumentation includes an entire tab-to-screw assembly providing rigid reinforcement of the Everest MI XT screw tabs. Surgeons can use the XTower throughout the procedure due to streamlined instrumentation.
Medtronic receives FDA approval for Intellis chronic pain management platform
The FDA approved Medtronic's Intellis platform, which is designed for chronic intractable pain management. The platform is able to power the Evolve workflow, which is intended to standardize guidance as well as balance dose therapy settings.