Here are eight things for spinal surgeons to know for Dec. 4, 2014.
FTC, EU approve Medtronic's acquisition of Covidien
The Federal Trade Commission cleared Medtronic to merge with Covidien on Nov. 26, according to a Wall Street Journal report. The approval was unanimous. The European Union's European Commission approved the acquisition on Nov. 28. Medtronic was required to sell Covidien's catheter business for FTC approval and Strellarex, a drug-coated balloon, for the EU's approval.
Medtronic raised $17B in a bond sale
Medtronic raised $17 billion in a bond sale, making it the largest corporate-debt sale in 2014. The company is raising money to finance their $43 billion acquisition of Ireland-based Covidien. The company's issuance this year in total is $1.5 trillion, including all debt sales of all ratings in the United States.
Spine surgeon arrested: Dr. Aria Sabit held for defrauding Medicare and Medicaid
Dr. Sabit has been accused of falsely billing for procedures he didn't perform or that were medically unnecessary, which led to his arrest and imprisonment. He allegedly told some patients he performed spinal fusion procedures on them and billed for the procedures, which weren't actually performed. Five patients are cited in the complaint against him.
1st spine surgery with Medacta's MySpine Patient-Matched Technology performed
The MySpine uses Medacta's three-dimensional reconstruction and rapid three-dimensional printing technologies for customized patient-specific surgical guides. Samuel S. Jorgenson, MD, and Richard Manos, MD, of the Spine Institute of Idaho, performed the procedure. The customized preoperative planning process reduced overall procedure time.
10 key thoughts on the spinal non-fusion device market
Fusion devices still make up the largest market share for spinal devices, but the non-fusion market is expected to grow through 2019, according to a Transparency Markets Research report. Factors that will drive market growth include increasing older population and technological advancements.
Will Aurora Spine continue growth?
Aurora Spine reported third quarter financial results. The United States revenue for July and August was around $117,000 per month on average, and in September sales grew to $190,000. So far this year, sales outside of the United States represent 25 percent of revenues.
Anterior lumbar spine surgery with BMP — 6 findings on complications
A new article published in the Journal of Neurosurgery: Spine examined complications for 131 patients who underwent anterior lumbar interbody fusion performed by a single surgeon. The study found that the overall complication rate was 19.1 percent; 13 percent had minor complications and 6 percent had major complications.
10 core concepts for the surgical navigation systems market
The global surgical navigation systems market reached $385.5 million in 2012 and is expected to grow to $631.9 million in 2018, according to a report from BCC Research. The market is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 8.5 percent through 2018.
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Global payments are changing spine care — 5 key observations
Dr. Lawrence Daniels elected to International Society of Pediatric Neurosurgery
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