Becker’s reported on five key spine and orthopedic studies since August. 19.
1. Researchers at the Columbia-based University of Missouri found that cartilage removed during hip surgery may be viable for reuse in regenerative treatment.
2. A study of Providence Medical Technology’s Corus posterior cervical stabilization system in anterior cervical discectomy and fusion found it was a better option than ACDF alone for three-level degenerative disc disease.
3. A newly identified group of spinal cord nerve cells could hold the key to improving breathing in people with spinal cord injuries or certain neurological diseases. Scientists at Cleveland-based Case Western Reserve University found that a specific set of interneurons in the brain and spinal cord helps boost breathing when the body is challenged — such as during exercise, high altitude or when carbon dioxide levels in the blood rise. In genetically modified mice, blocking these nerve signals impaired the ability to breathe properly under high carbon dioxide conditions.
4. Semaglutide use was associated with increased rates of pseudarthrosis and dysphagia in patients having posterior cervical fusion. Researchers used data from the PearlDiver Mariner to measure outcomes in posterior cervical fusion patients between 2010 and 2022. Same-day costs and mean 90-day costs were also “significantly lower” in patients who were taking semaglutide.
5. Patients who underwent robotic-assisted surgery used less opioid pain medicine and were discharged earlier compared to individuals who underwent manual surgery. Individuals who elected to have robotic-assisted surgery used about 50% less opioid pain medicine and were discharged nearly 10 hours earlier. Manual knee replacement surgeries were associated with 2.3 higher times morphine milligram equivalent consumption and 1.8 times longer length of stay compared to Velys robotic-assisted surgeries.
