Some of the most-read articles reported by Becker's Spine Review this year covered surgeon lawsuits, management services organizations and a Texas spine surgeon with a large TikTok following.

A Texas spine surgeon is speaking out about inconsistencies in a lawsuit set to go to trial in October, The Fort Worth Star-Telegram reported Aug. 8.

Evan Lytle, DO, joined Spectrum Health Lakeland Neurosurgery in St. Joseph, Mich., according to an announcement published in Moody on the Market on Aug. 5.

In the last two weeks, three payer battles have garnered attention in the spine and orthopedic community. 

Children and teens who have spinal fusions to treat scoliosis can be prescribed fewer opioids during recovery without compromising pain scores, researchers at Ann Arbor-based Michigan Medicine found.

Jill Lentz has joined National Spine and Pain Centers as vice president of human resources, the Rockville, Md.-based physicians management services organization said Aug. 2.

Adam Kanter, MD, joined Newport Beach, Calif.-based Hoag Specialty Clinic as chief of neurosurgery and associate executive medical director of the Pickup Family Neurosciences Institute.

Neurosurgeon Payam Toobian, MD, and his business, America's Imaging Center, have been indicted for allegedly defrauding Medicaid by forcing patients to undergo "unnecessary and invasive medical tests," New York Attorney General Letitia James said in an Aug. 1 statement.

Ogden (Utah) Regional Medical Center neurosurgeon Bryson Smith, MD, was arrested for allegedly groping an anesthetized patient during surgery, ABC affiliate KFOR reported July 30.

Here are seven spine surgeons who joined new practices or added to their titles in July:

The American Association of Neurological Surgeons and Congress of Neurological Surgeons praised the House Ways and Means Committee for advancing the Improving Seniors' Timely Access to Care Act.

The Radiological Society of North America has announced its latest AI competition, the RSNA Cervical Spine Fracture AI Challenge, which will award $30,000 between 10 entrants that create accurate machine learning models. 

Novant Health New Hanover Regional Medical Center in Wilmington, N.C., has rescheduled 26 surgeries, including spine cases, over the next week that would have required an overnight stay, NBC affiliate WECT reported July 28.

A San Antonio surgeon is being sued by an insurer over allegations he performed medically unnecessary spinal injections and procedures to inflate personal injury claims, according to a lawsuit filed July 26 in the Western District Court of Texas.

Urmil Gupta, wife of late neurosurgeon Surinder Gupta, MD, donated $100,000 to the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences in Little Rock to create an award for neurosurgery residents in her husband's honor. 

Wilson Asfora, MD, a former neurosurgeon with Sioux Falls, S.D.-based Sanford Health, was reprimanded by the state medical board for failing to disclose his medical license renewal was denied in Florida, the Argus Leader reported July 27.

A Cape Girardeau, Mo.-based neurosurgeon and his then-fiancee who were fined nearly $5.5 million in a kickback case will face a new False Claims Act trial after the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Missouri ruled the jury that awarded damages didn't get full instructions, the Southeast Missourian reported July 27.

Synchron, a medtech company developing a brain implant, completed its first patient case in a U.S. trial.

U.S. News & World Report released its "Best Hospitals for Neurology & Neurosurgery" 2022-23 list July 26, with NYU Langone Hospitals taking the top spot.

Spinal device start-up Sure Retractors named Daniel Kosh to its board of directors, effective immediately.