8 Things for Spine Surgeons to Know for Thursday

Here are eight things for spine surgeons to know for Thursday, June 27, 2013. Globus Medical launched MIS lumbar interbody fusion spacer.
Globus Medical launched its LATIS minimally invasive lumbar interbody fusion spacer to treat degenerative disc disease. The device is designed for the TLIF approach, but it can also expand to provide the equivalent to an ALIF or LLIF.

Orthofix reorganized business & split spine in two.
Orthofix has realigned its business to now include BioStim, spine fixation, biologics, international extremity fixation and extremity fixation in the United States. The company's spine business will be separated into BioStim and Spinal Fixation.

AMA elected two neurosurgeons to board of trustees.
Two neurosurgeons were elected to the board of trustees for the American Medical Society. Neurosurgery resident Maya Babu, MD, from Rochester, Minn., was a newly elected member. Pediatric neurosurgeon from Portland Monica C. Wehby, MD, is a returning member of the board.

AANS/CNS letter supports IPAB repeal.
On June 20, the presidents of the American Association of Neurological Surgeons and Congress of Neurological Surgeons sent a letter to the editor of the Wall Street Journal advocating for the repeal of the Independent Payment Advisory Board. The letter states, "Not only is there widespread agreement amongst healthcare stakeholders that IPAB is bad news for Medicare patients, but there is also bipartisan legislation moving forward in Congress to get rid of this Medicare board."

Orthopedic surgeons underestimate implant costs 67% of the time.
In a study published in the Clinical Orthopaedics and Related Research, researchers found that 67 percent of orthopedic surgeons underestimate the cost of implants while 33 percent overestimate the cost. The attending surgeons had a mean percentage error of 59 percent.

Dr. Jeffrey Wang will chair NASS' summer spine meeting.
Jeffrey Wang, MD, orthopedic surgeon and vice chairman of the UCLA Orthopedic Hospital, will co-chair the North American Spine Society's new Summer Spine Meeting.
The meeting will take place July 31 to Aug. 3 at the Waldorf Astoria in Naples, Fla.

St. Mary's Healthcare in New York purchased Renaissance spine system.
St. Mary's Healthcare in Amsterdam, N.Y., purchased its first Renaissance spine system from Mazor Robotics. It is the first hospital in the northeast to bring patients access to the Renaissance system.

Integra LifeSciences' cervical spine device receives European CE mark.
Plainsboro, N.J.-based Integra LifeSciences Holdings' Integra Smart Cervical Solution for degenerative cervical spine diseases received a European CE Mark. Integra LifeSciences will now be able to introduce the device in the European market.

More Articles on Spine:
Spine Research to Improve Outcomes: 3 Surgeons on Their Current Investigations
Where Spine Innovation Needs to be Headed: Q&A With Dr. Neel Anand of Cedars-Sinai Spine Center
Starting a Device Company: 3 Steps From Dr. Scott Spann