Here are eight things for spinal surgeons to know for May 17, 2018.
Porter Adventist spine surgeon halts surgery mid-procedure due to contaminated tools
The same day the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment released its disease control investigation at Denver-based Porter Adventist Hospital, a spine surgeon stopped surgery mid-procedure due to allegedly dirty equipment. Read about the situation, here.
Cleveland Clinic receives $2.5M grant to study spinal cord injury solutions
The Department of Defense awarded Cleveland Clinic $2.5 million to research and lead a brain stimulation study in patients who suffer from paralyzed upper limbs to due spinal cord injuries. The grant was awarded through the DoD's Spinal Cord Injury Research Program and specifically bestowed to Ela Plow, PhD.
Alaska neurosurgeon embroiled in photo lawsuit settles a spine malpractice case
On May 9, 2018, neurosurgeon Louis Kralick, MD, of Anchorage Neurosurgical Associates, settled a malpractice lawsuit concerning a spine procedure performed in 2013, according to KTVA. Dr. Kralick also made headlines in March for allegedly photographing the genitalia of a patient undergoing spine surgery at Providence Alaska Medical Center in Anchorage. Read more about the cases, here.
7 spine device company powerhouses: What are they up to in 2018?
The global spinal surgery devices market will reach $13 billion by 2022, according to a Wise Guy Reports analysis. Click here to see what DePuy Synthes, Globus Medical, K2M, Medtronic, NuVasive, Stryker and Zimmer Biomet have accomplished so far this year.
Study: Vertebroplasty not superior to sham procedure for vertebral compression fracture treatment
A new study published in The BMJ compared vertebroplasty to a sham procedure for treating acute osteoporotic compression fractures. Researchers studied patients receiving vertebroplasty or a sham procedure in four community hospitals in the Netherlands. Researchers concluded the vertebroplasty patients didn't experience statistically significant greater pain relief than the sham procedure patients. Dive into the study, here.
23-hospital system enters $14M settlement with feds over improper physician payments
Mercy Health, a 23-hospital system based in Cincinnati, agreed to pay the federal government $14.25 million to resolve allegations the system violated the False Claims Act, according to the Department of Justice.
Mazor Robotics clocks record Q1 revenue of $15.5M
Mazor saw record first quarter revenue of $15.5 million, compared to $11.7 million in the same time period in 2017. U.S. revenue jumped 27 percent to $14.2 million, up from $11.2 million in the first quarter of 2017. The company reported 33,000-plus performed cases in the first quarter of 2018.
AANS appoints 1st female neurosurgeon president
Shelly Timmons, MD, is the American Association of Neurological Surgeons' new president. She is the first female neurosurgeon and the second woman to serve as the organization's president. Dr. Timmons is a neuro-critical care specialist at Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey (Pa.) Medical Center and a professor at Penn State College of Medicine in Hershey.