Becker’s Spine Review

Johnson & Johnson and Smith & Nephew were nearing a $34 billion deal to combine their orthopedic businesses before disagreements over who would lead the merged company derailed negotiations, according to an Oct. 23 Financial Times report. The companies had…

The math on surgical robots is still shaky, but providers keep buying. Freestanding ASCs are reimbursed less than hospitals and HOPDs for the same procedure, and using a robot does not change that math, according to Becker’s reporting of what…

Medtech company Rivanna has received FDA 510(k) clearance for BoneEnhance, a machine learning software module for its Accuro XV diagnostic ultrasound system. BoneEnhance identifies bone and surrounding tissue within volumetric ultrasound scans. It displays color-coded overlays on 2D B-mode images…

A Fulton County jury awarded $4 million to a patient in a medical malpractice lawsuit against hand surgeon Samuel Payne, MD, and Atlanta-based Georgia Hand, Shoulder & Elbow. The jury found that the defendants’ negligence caused her injuries, according to…

Total joint replacement has become one of the clearest growth engines in ambulatory surgery. Medicare is clearing the last regulatory barriers, facility rates for joints are rising and the largest ASC operators report double-digit joint growth. Surgeon pay cuts, a…

For independent orthopedic surgeons, owning a surgery center was once a way to get ahead. Increasingly, it may be the only way to keep up. As physician reimbursement declines and the cost of running a practice continues to climb, Justin…

Syracuse, N.Y.-based Upstate Medical University has named Craig Rabb, MD, interim chair of its department of neurosurgery. Dr. Rabb has served as professor and chair of neurological surgery at Creighton University School of Medicine and system chair of neurosurgery for…

Bone quality used to be the problem orthopedic and spine surgeons dealt with after the hardware failed. In 2026, it moved to the front of the line. Surgeons are ordering bone-density scans before they book the operating room. They also…