Becker's reported on three ongoing legal cases involving spine surgeons and spine companies in the last week.
1. Four people, including a neurosurgeon, were charged in connection with a scheme involving fraudulent workers' compensation. Vrijesh Tantuwaya, MD, a neurosurgeon in San Diego, David Fish, and two other people were charged in the scheme that billed nearly $100 million in fradulent fees.
2. A woman is suing Elutia, formerly Aziyo Biologics, after contracting tuberculosis from a product used in an April 2021 spine surgery. Tina and Steven Langford filed their lawsuit Aug. 29 and are seeking unspecified damages from Elutia. They are also suing two donor suppliers. The lawsuit alleges that the FiberCel Fiber Viable Bone Matrix had human tissue from an infected donor. Ms. Langford had her surgery at Floyd Medical Center in Rome, Ga., and has since suffered side effects from the tuberculosis infection and treatments.
3. Tacoma, Wash.-based MultiCare Health has filed a motion to dismiss a complaint brought by federal and state officials against the system, or for summary judgment. According to court documents, the system sought to dismiss a whistleblower suit alleging the system fraudulently billed federal healthcare programs for spine surgeries performed by Jason Dreyer, DO, at Deaconess Hospital in Spokane between 2019 and 2021.