The number of spinal procedures performed in the ASC setting is on the rise, especially since the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Here are five spine centers to know:

Physicians across all specialties have had their eyes on noncompete clauses as state and federal policies change. 

Richard Allen, MD, PhD, was appointed as the first of the Behrooz A. Akbarnia, MD and Nasrin A. Owsia, MD Endowed Chair in Spinal Surgery at the University of California San Diego.

Two Texas-based pain physicians have been charged in a $12 million fraud scheme and accused of unlawfully distributing controlled substances, accoring to a statement from the U.S. Attorney's Office of the Northern District of Texas.

Orthopedic spine surgery is dominated by white males, and that won't change any time soon, according to a study published in the journal Spine.

It's easier for surgeons experienced with minimally invasive transforaminal lumbar interbody fusions to incorporate robotic technology into their practice than it is for early career attendings, according to a study published in the journal Spine.

The volume of cervical disc replacements grew steadily for nearly a decade, but have leveled off in the last few years, according to a study published in the journal Spine.

Off-label use of bone morphogenic protein for spinal fusions has been widespread for years and could expose surgeons to malpractice allegations. But how often do those allegations lead to plaintiff wins?

Intermountain Health Park City (Utah) Hospital added two pediatric orthopedic spine surgeons, according to a Nov. 20 news release. 

As spine practices head into the new year, here are four key ways surgeons can get and stay ahead of challenges.

The average orthopedic spine surgeon salary nationwide is $844,422, according to the 2022 Medical Group Management Association Compensation & Production Report.

Michael Drobot, who served prison time for paying illegal kickbacks for spine surgeries at the now-defunct Pacific Hospital, was sentenced to another 15 months in prison for not paying money that he owed the government, The Press Telegram reported Nov. 17.

Spine surgeons saw a major victory in a yearslong payer battle this year when Aetna revised its lumbar disc replacement policy in February. Now, some surgeons are looking ahead to the next hurdle they could face from insurers.

Hospital charges for elective total cervical disc replacement increased significantly from 2009 to 2019, Medicare reimbursement hasn't kept up, according to a study published in the November 2023 issue of the Journal of Neurosurgery.

For years, the field of orthopedic and spine surgery has remained remarkably undiverse, boasting the highest percentage of active physicians identifying as white. 

PathKeeper Surgical's 3D optical navigation system has been used in Massachusetts for the first time during a spinal fusion surgery at Southcoast Health's St. Luke's Hospital in New Bedford. 

Here are the things spine surgeons and physicians are grateful for in 2023 ahead of the Thanksgiving holiday.

Scoliosis affects 2% to 3% of the U.S. population, or approximately 6 million  to 9 million people. The condition accounts for more than 38,000 spinal fusion procedures each year, according to the National Scoliosis Foundation. Scoliosis affects professional athletes, musicians, actors and others on a daily basis.

Here are five surgeons receiving recognition that Becker's has reported on since Oct. 19: