Author: Carly Behm

Neurosurgeon Nikhil Murthy, MD, and orthopedic spine surgeon Takashi Hirase, MD, of University of California Sand Diego Health, performed the world’s first spinal tumor case using icotec’s CMORE cervicothoracic system, according to a Feb. 17 LinkedIn post. The CMORE CT…

Madison-based Orthopedic & Spine Centers of Wisconsin plans to cut the ribbon on a new ASC on Feb. 18. The Orthopedic & Spine Surgery Center in Middleton (Wis.) began construction in 2025 and was purpose-built for spine and orthopedic procedures,…

VB Spine entered a definitive agreement to acquire exclusive rights to Augmedics’ xvision spine system. Xvision is an FDA-cleared AR navigation platform for spine surgeons, and the deal would poise VB Spine to become a leader in AR-enabled spine tech,…

A 42-year-old construction worker sits across from me in clinic, MRI in hand, convinced he needs surgery. His primary care doctor told him he has a “bad disc.” A friend had a fusion and swears by it. He’s Googled his…

Devan Higginbotham, MD, performed his first case with the Simplify cervical disc replacement implant at Saint Agnes Medical Center in Fresno, Calif., Globus Medical said in a Feb. 13 LinkedIn post. The patient had neck pain, shoulder pain and radiating…

Medicare’s spinal-deformity-specific diagnosis-related group distribution has some limitations when it comes to understanding the nuances of surgeries, according to a study in the March 1 edition of Spine. Five things to know: 1. The analysis included 314 adult patients who…

Endoscopic spine surgery has been growing steadily in the U.S., but a barrier to surgeon adoption is its learning curve. A systematic review published in the March 2026 issue of The Spine Journal examined the learning curves for uniportal and…

Multiple professional athletes have turned to leading orthopedic surgeons for care so far this year. 1. Ramon Cugat, MD, PhD, performed knee surgery on Riqui Puig, a midfielder for the LA Galaxy. Dr. Cugat completed an anterior cruciate ligament reconstructive…

Medtronic earned the FDA’s 510(k) clearance for its Stealth AXiS system that brings planning, navigation and robotics into one spine platform. Stealth AXiS is cleared for use in spine surgery, and it is expected to support cranial and ENT pending…

Two updates in orthopedic devicemaker cases both focus on alleged defects with implants and components. 1. A federal district court in Arizona issued a mixed ruling on a motion to dismiss liability claims involving spinal fixation screws. The case stems…