Becker’s Spine Review

Athens-based OhioHealth O’Bleness Hospital has begun offering robotic-assisted joint replacement surgery, expanding access to advanced orthopedic procedures in southeast Ohio. The hospital recently completed its first cases using the technology and now offers robotic-assisted total knee replacement, partial knee replacement…

So far this year, medtech companies and academic institutions are making key strides in spine biologics. From new product launches to research breakthroughs, here are the biggest developments to know: 1. Evanston, Ill.-based Northwestern University scientists have created the most…

The 2026 Bloomberg Billionaires Index, which ranks the world’s 500 richest people across industries, includes two people from U.S. orthopedic medtech. Ronda Styker and Pat Stryker are with Stryker. Rhonda Stryker is a director of Stryker and one of its largest individual…

Wudbhav Sankar, MD, will be the chief of Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia’s Orthopedic Center effective July 1. Dr. Sankar is a leader in children’s orthopedics and has expertise in spinal deformity, hip disorders and pediatric trauma, according to a Feb.…

In healthcare, partnerships between insurers and physicians are often announced with optimism and framed as transformative, yet many fail to achieve sustained alignment due to competing incentives. Orthopedics, with its high-cost procedures and deeply ingrained emphasis on physician autonomy, has…

Aaron Clark, MD, PhD, performed the first case with Carlsmed’s corra cervical plating system, according to a Feb. 18 news release. The corra plating system is designed to stabilize the spine during fusions and is made with patient-specific plates. Anatomical…

Smith+Nephew has agreed to settle a potential class-action lawsuit regarding the managed account fees for its 401(k) plans.  In an amendment complaint, the plaintiffs alleged that Smith+Nephew improperly utilized forfeited 401(k) plan assets, paid unreasonable compensation for plan’s planning and…

Prior authorization delays and standardized codes that do not measure case variability are just two orthopedic policy disconnects surgeons say they face on a day-to-day basis.  While insurance companies intend for prior authorization to act as a guardrail, some leaders…

Travis Maak, MD, operated on Utah Jazz player Jaren Jackson Jr.’s knee, the NBA team said Feb. 17. Dr. Maak removed a localized pigmented villonodular synovitis growth in Mr. Jackson’s left knee, according to a news release. Mr. Jackson will…

Independent spine surgeons face some unique financial challenges that their employed peers might not encounter. On top of clinical work, independent spine physicians grapple with the costs of running a business and keeping up with margins. Spine physicians from different…