Here are the top 10 Becker's Spine Review orthopedic stories from March.
Washington orthopedic surgeon barred from operating on patients
A Washington state commission accused orthopedic surgeon Valentin Antoci, MD, of improperly treating two patients and barred him from performing surgical procedures until a full hearing is conducted. The Washington Medical Quality Assurance Commission accused Dr. Antoci of failing to treat a patient's shoulder injury and not recognizing a postoperative complication resulting in long-term loss of arm function. The commission also alleged Dr. Antoci didn't properly diagnose and treat another patient's ankle infection, which put the patient at risk of amputation.
Ortho Rhode Island surgeon spearheading initiatives to combat opioid epidemic
Providence-based Ortho Rhode Island surgeon Michael Bradley, MD, and anesthesiologist Henry Cabrera, MD, are rolling out a new pathway to curb opioid dependency at South County Health Orthopedics Center in Washington County, R.I. Dr. Bradley and Dr. Cabrera both stress the idea of reducing and managing a patient's pain over eliminating a patient's pain.
Iowa Board of Medicine charges orthopedic surgeon with 18 counts of improper patient care
The Iowa Board of Medicine charged orthopedic surgeon Margaret Fehrle, MD, with 18 counts of providing improper patient care while performing surgeries in Marshalltown and Vinton, Iowa, between 2008 and 2015. The Board found probable cause to file the statement of charges on March 8, 2018, citing 18 specific anonymous patients Dr. Fehrle treated. The Board also charged Dr. Fehrle with professional incompetence and "practice harmful or detrimental to the public."
6 trends for total joint replacements in the future — revision total knees to jump 400% by 2060
The number of total joint replacements is expected to jump between 2030 and 2060, according to a new report from the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. Revision total hip replacements are expected to jump 219 percent and revision total knee replacements are expected to grow 400 percent by 2060.
Orthofix acquires Spinal Kinetics for about $105M
Orthofix acquired Spinal Kinetics, a privately held company focused on artificial discs, for up to $105 million. Orthofix will acquire the company, which developed and manufactures the M6 artificial discs, for $45 million in cash closing considerations as well as up to $60 million contingent on milestone payments. The milestone payments hinge on M6-C achieving FDA approval and the company hitting training 12-month sales targets of $30 million and $50 million.
Letter to CMS: 5 insights on what orthopedic surgeons think about removing TKA from the Medicare Inpatient Only list
The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, along with several orthopedic specialty and state societies, sent CMS administrator Seema Verma a letter commenting on CMS' decision to take total knee arthroplasty out of the Medicare Inpatient Only list. The letter claims that there has been confusion regarding how to implement this new rule. CMS designates the Medicare beneficiary's physician as the medical professional responsible for determining the care setting in this rule, but AAOS is concerned that unqualified decision making on the site of service will harm beneficiaries, especially those who have multiple risks such as comorbidities and advanced age that are not conducive to an outpatient procedure. AAOS asks for clarification on whether surgeons' reimbursements will be affected by this policy change.
Appeals court upholds Zimmer Biomet's 'win' in NexGen knee implant case: 4 things to know
The 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals refused to reopen the lawsuit against Zimmer Biomet's NexGen knee implants. The lawsuit alleges the NexGen implants were "prone to premature loosening in patients who engage in activities that need knee flexibility."
Orthopedic surgeon dies while on skiing trip
Orthopedic surgeon Frank Essis, MD, passed away March 7 while on a ski trip in Lake Placid, N.Y. Dr. Essis was a surgeon at Orthopedic Associates of Lancaster (Pa.). He specialized in joint replacement, orthopedic trauma and sports medicine.
Federal investigation reveals infection issues following orthopedic surgery at Sparrow Carson
A federal investigation found infection issues were rapid after orthopedic surgery at Sparrow Carson in Carson City, Mich. Investigators examined nine orthopedic surgeries where patients had to return to the hospital to have revision surgery, an incision or wound drained or surgical site infection treatment. All of the cases were in 2017. In February, Dr. Allard's privileges at Sparrow Carson were voluntarily suspended. The hospital's CEO also resigned at the time. The departures can be seen as the hospitals plan of correction.
Male orthopedic surgeons earn $543k annually while females earn $442k
A recent Doximity survey found women on average earn 27.7 percent less than their male counterparts. In 2016, women earned $91,284 less than males or 26.5 percent. There is no medical specialty that women physicians earn more than male physicians. Female orthopedic surgeons earned 19 percent less or $101,291 less. The average male orthopedic surgeon salary is $543,000 while women earn $442,000, according to Crain's Cleveland Business.