Author: Carly Behm

Spinal neurosurgeon Christopher Neumann, MD, introduced two spine procedures to Lawton, Oklahoma.-based Comanche County Memorial Hospital, KSWO reported Nov. 3. The hospital added kyphoplasty, a minimally invasive procedure, and the Intracept procedure. Kyphoplasty addresses compression fractures, and Intracept is a…

Astura Medical earned FDA 510(k) clearance for the Masada Sacral-Alar-Iliac system, the medtech company said in a Nov. 3 LinkedIn post. The system is designed for sacroiliac joint fixation and fusion and is part of the Masada modular posterior fixation…

As CMS and private insurance hurdles persist, some spine and orthopedic surgeons see a solution in cash pay options. This model has already been successful despite early obstacles, for surgeons like Ara Deukmedjian, MD.  “Initially when I opted out, there…

29 hospitals have earned Healthgrades’ Specialty Excellence Awards for Spine Surgery three years in a row. Here are the best hospitals in the U.S. for spine surgery three years in a row in alphabetical order: 1. Abbott Northwestern Hospital (Minneapolis)2.…

Teaming up with Optum was an important aspect of getting outpatient orthopedics off the ground and soaring in recent years, Amar Patel, MD, a board member of OrthoWest, said. Dr. Patel spoke with Becker’s about how he made the most…

Here are six spine surgeons who joined new practices in October: Note: This is not an exhaustive list. 1. Alvin Chan, MD; Casey Slattery, MD, and Kushagra Verma, MD, joined Irvine, Calif.-based Hoag Orthopedic Institute. 2. AdventHealth Medical Group added…

Alejandro Lopez, DO, performed New Jersey’s first fully endoscopic laminectomy using Amplify Surgical’s dualPortal technology, according to an Oct. 28 news release from Camden, N.J.-based Cooper University Health Care. The milestone procedure was done in collaboration with Inspira Neuroscience. With…

Florida has 20 hospitals included on Healthgrades’ Specialty Excellence Awards for Spine Surgery list, the most of any state. The 2026 Specialty Excellence Awards were published Oct. 28.  The Spine Surgery Excellence Award recognizes hospitals that deliver superior patient outcomes…

Prior authorization can be a pain point for spine surgeons getting reimbursement approved by CMS and insurers, but artificial intelligence holds potential for improving that process for providers, Brian Gantwerker, MD, said. Dr. Gantwerker, of the Craniospinal Center of Los…

Rhea Medical Center in Dayton, Tenn., opened its Spine Motion Institute, Chattanoogan.com reported Oct. 29. Spine surgeon Scott Hodges, DO, is overseeing the center. His practice includes disc replacement, minimally invasive spine surgery and facet joint replacement. The new center…