Orthopedic

Iowa is the cheapest state for a sports medicine visit, while Alaska is the most expensive, according to recent data from insurance company Sidecar Health.

The most common orthopedic procedure performed in 2023 was a drainage/injection into a joint or bursa without ultrasound guidance, according to October data from Definitive Healthcare, which will cost patients an average of $55 to $75. 

A Missouri jury has sided with St. Louis-based Orthopedic Specialists and orthopedic surgeon Kevin Rutz, MD, in a malpractice lawsuit brought by a former patient, according to a Jan. 5 report from Missouri Lawyers Media. 

OrthoPediatrics acquired Boston Orthotics & Prosthetics, according to a Jan. 8 news release.

Here are 30 orthopedic surgeons who recently joined new practices or added to their titles, as reported by Becker's in August:

Brad Sparks, MD, an orthopedic surgeon at the Alaska Fracture & Orthopedic Clinic in Anchorage, has become the first surgeon in the state to offer the Jiffy Knee procedure for joint replacements.  

It will cost patients living in Alaska the most to visit an orthopedic surgeon, while patients in Iowa will pay the least, according to data from insurance company Sidecar Health's care calculator.

More orthopedic surgeons may feel pressured to drop Medicare beneficiaries who have non-emergent orthopedic needs in 2024. 

Louis Shapiro, who was president and CEO of New York City-based Hospital for Special Surgery, joined Zimmer Biomet's board of directors, the devicemaker said Jan. 3.

Former Bears receiver, College Football Hall of Fame member and orthopedic surgeon Bill McColl, MD, died on Dec. 28 at the age of 93, according to a Jan. 4 report from the San Diego Union-Tribune.