A research team led by a prominent neurosurgeon is creating a registry of outcomes for upper spine surgery, which future patients and doctors would be able to use to determine which surgical treatment is most beneficial, safest and cost-effective.Read more »
NEWS
How 3-D Printing Is Revolutionizing Health Care
Additive manufacturing — a.k.a. 3-D printing — has moved beyond being a primarily techie and Wall Street topic to capture the attention of many on Main Street. This attention is well deserved, given the 3-D printing sector is expected to balloon from $2.2 billion in 2012 to nearly $6 billion in 2017, and will eventually […]
How 3-D Printing Is Revolutionizing Health Care
Additive manufacturing — a.k.a. 3-D printing — has moved beyond being a primarily techie and Wall Street topic to capture the attention of many on Main Street. This attention is well deserved, given the 3-D printing sector is expected to balloon from $2.2 billion in 2012 to nearly $6 billion in 2017, and will eventually […]
RTI Surgical(TM) Receives CE Mark Approval for Fortiva(TM) Porcine Dermis
ALACHUA, Fla.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–March 11, 2014– RTI Surgical Inc. (RTI) (Nasdaq: RTIX), a leading global surgical implant company, announced today that the company received approval to CE mark Fortiva(TM) Porcine Dermis and will begin distribution throughout Europe. Fortiva received 510(k) clearance from the U.S. Food and Drug and Administration (FDA) in March 2013 and was launched […]
Evonik Reaches Milestone with Permanently Implantable VESTAKEEP® PEEK
PARSIPPANY, N.J. — Evonik Corporation said today each of its primary implantableVESTAKEEP® PEEK product lines have been referenced in customer products that have received U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) 510(k) clearance for permanent implant use.“We are excited about the growing interest VESTAKEEP® PEEK is receiving within the medical device industry,” said Peter Colburn, director […]
Southern Spine Expands Sales to Europe and Announces New Configurations of Its StabiLink® “Ultimate MIS” Spinal Fixation System
MACON, GA. — Southern Spine, LLC, an ISO 13485:2003 certified manufacturer of implants and instruments for spinal surgery, announced today that they have established an agreement with a major Italian distributor and have already performed numerous successful cases of its patentedStabiLink® MIS Spinal Fixation System. “Now that our StabiLink® System is CE Marked, as well […]
Device firms adjust to increased payment disclosure
WASHINGTON – Mark DuVal’s law firm has been busy teaching medical device and drug makers how to obey the Physician Payments Sunshine Act.It is no easy task, says DuVal, a Minneapolis attorney who used to work for Medtronic Inc. and 3M Co.New federal reporting requirements that began Feb. 18 are complicated and eventually will include […]
Device firms adjust to increased payment disclosure
WASHINGTON – Mark DuVal’s law firm has been busy teaching medical device and drug makers how to obey the Physician Payments Sunshine Act.It is no easy task, says DuVal, a Minneapolis attorney who used to work for Medtronic Inc. and 3M Co.New federal reporting requirements that began Feb. 18 are complicated and eventually will include […]
ulrich medical USA® Enters U.S. Tourniquet Market
ST. LOUIS, March 6, 2014 /PRNewswire/ — ulrich medical USA, Inc., announced today the creation of a new U.S. hospital devices business unit with the release of innovative, high-tech pneumatic tourniquet devices. ulrich medical Inc., the German parent company of ulrich medical USA, is the current market leader in Germany for tourniquet technology, and this […]
Nearly 1,000 sue Medtronic over Infuse bone growth product
Medtronic said about 1,000 people have sued the company over its controversial bone-growth product, Infuse, and many more lawsuits may be coming.In addition, several states are looking into sales and marketing practices involving Infuse, which is used in spine surgery. Read more »
Biomet to Host Job Fair at Spine Division Headquarters to Support Company Growth and Expanded Opportunities
BROOMFIELD, Colo., Feb, 2014 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Biomet, Inc., a global leader in the manufacturing of musculoskeletal and biotechnology products, today announced the Company will host a job fair March 6-7, 2014 at its Spine Division Headquarters in Read more »
Spine surgery patients mostly unaware of costs, compensation
(Reuters Health) – Orthopedic surgery patients go in and out of the operating room “blind” to the cost of their procedures, researchers say, but the patients often assume doctors are making much more than they really do.The misperceptions among spinal surgery patients are emblematic of a major barrier to controlling healthcare costs, according to the […]
Spine surgery patients mostly unaware of costs, compensation
(Reuters Health) – Orthopedic surgery patients go in and out of the operating room “blind” to the cost of their procedures, researchers say, but the patients often assume doctors are making much more than they really do.The misperceptions among spinal surgery patients are emblematic of a major barrier to controlling healthcare costs, according to the […]
Independent Study Demonstrates Effectiveness of Kiva®System for Patients With Osteolytic Vertebral Metastases
SANTA CLARA, Calif., Feb. 25, 2014 /PRNewswire/ — Benvenue Medical, Inc., today announced results of an independent, prospective, randomized study which found that the company’s Kiva® VCF Treatment System was as effective as balloon kyphoplasty (BKP) in reducing pain associated with osteolytic vertebral body metastases. The Kiva System also resulted in no extravasation (cement leakage) […]
Will Obamacare Derail Zimmer Holdings, Inc.?
One of the most surprising trends for health care investors may be the rally in medical appliance companies including hip and knee leader Zimmer Holdings (NYSE: ZMH ) .In the wake of Obamacare, investors were warned companies would face a profit cliff that would unhinge earningsRead more »
Alphatec loses lawsuit, delays quarterly report
In response to losing a lawsuit, Carlsbad’s Alphatec Holdings said it has delayed its fourth quarter and fiscal year 2013 earnings results until March 17. The company is the parent of Alphatec Spine, a medical device maker. Read more »
Hospital owner fraudulently billed $500 million in spinal surgeries
The former owner of a Los Angeles-area hospital will plead guilty to federal charges that he bribed a state senator as part of a wide-ranging kickback scheme to get spinal surgery cases referred to his facility, the Associated Press reported. Altogether, the fraudulent charges connected to the scheme may top $500 million. Michael D. Drobot, […]
Hospital owner fraudulently billed $500 million in spinal surgeries
The former owner of a Los Angeles-area hospital will plead guilty to federal charges that he bribed a state senator as part of a wide-ranging kickback scheme to get spinal surgery cases referred to his facility, the Associated Press reported. Altogether, the fraudulent charges connected to the scheme may top $500 million. Michael D. Drobot, […]
RTI Surgical™ Announces Launch of Two New Spine Systems: Aspect ® Anterior Cervical Plate System and MaxFuse™ VBR System
ALACHUA, Fla. (Feb 24, 2014) – RTI Surgical Inc. (RTI) (Nasdaq: RTIX), a leading global surgical implant company, announced today the full market launch of the MaxFuse™ Vertebral Body Replacement System and the Aspect® Anterior Cervical Plate System. Both systems are designed for use in spine fusion and are currently available for U.S. distribution.“The MaxFuse […]
Tyber Medical Announces Strategic Partnership to Provide Customer Financing
MORRISTOWN, N.J., Feb. 18, 2014 /PRNewswire/ — Tyber Medical, LLC, a privately held medical device company focused on developing innovative spine and orthopedic devices for private label opportunities, announced today that they have formed a partnership with Magellan Capital Partners of Tustin, CA. This strategic alliance will allow Magellan Capital Partners to provide financing services […]
Intrepid Orthopedics Expands to Become a Full Service Medical Device Outsourcing Company
Richfield, Ohio – February 19, 2014 , Intrepid Orthopedics, a Northeast Ohio based medical device outsourcing firm, has recently expanded their capabilities to become full service for its increasing client base. To accommodate its expanded services and growing business, Intrepid Orthopedics moved into a larger facility in Richfield, which is located less than 30 minutes […]
Medtronic fiscal Q3 profit falls after charges
Medtronic, Inc. on Tuesday reported that fiscal third quarter net profit fell 23 percent on expenses that included a charge related to discontinued testing of a high blood pressure treatment.Net earnings amounted to $762 million, or 75 cents a diluted share. Revenue was $4.16 billion, an increase of 3 percent over the same quarter a […]
RTI annual revenues increase after Pioneer purchase
RTI Surgical’s July acquisition of Pioneer Surgical Technology pushed 2013 revenues to $198 million compared with $178.1 million in 2012, although the full-year revenues for both companies combined for 9 percent less in 2013. Read more »
Alphatec Holdings (NASDAQ:ATEC) Subsidiary Surgiview Loses Litigation Case To OrthoTec
Boston, MA 02/11/2014 (wallstreetpr) – Surgiview a subsidiary of Scient X SAS acquired by Alphatec Holdings (NASDAQ:ATEC) in 2010 has been found liable to have transferred assets for less than the market price, Surgiview was also found to have interfered on contractual rights related to OrthoTec. Formal judgment has not been handed but Surgiview according […]
Doctor from Medina charged in $7.3M health-care fraud
EL PASO, Texas — An ex-Army doctor in Texas has been indicted in a $7.3 million health care scam.The 65-count federal indictment announced Thursday in El Paso names Dr. Richard Craig Rooney of Medina, Washington Rooney worked at William Beaumont Army Medical Center in El Paso and Carl R. Darnall Army Medical Center at Fort […]
Doctor from Medina charged in $7.3M health-care fraud
EL PASO, Texas — An ex-Army doctor in Texas has been indicted in a $7.3 million health care scam.The 65-count federal indictment announced Thursday in El Paso names Dr. Richard Craig Rooney of Medina, Washington Rooney worked at William Beaumont Army Medical Center in El Paso and Carl R. Darnall Army Medical Center at Fort […]
Aurora Spine Receives FDA 510(k) Clearance for Sterile-Packed TiNano(TM) Coated Interbody Systems
CARLSBAD, CALIFORNIA, Feb, 2014 (Marketwired via COMTEX) — Aurora Spine Corporation announced today that it has received U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) 510(k) clearance for sterile-packed titanium plasma spray coated (TiNano(TM)) spinal fusion implants.“This FDA clearance is a major achievement for Aurora Spine. These intervertebral implants are developed to support the entire spine from […]