Spine

A panel of spine experts is calling for surgeons to re-examine and reduce the use of recombinant bone morphogenic protein-2 in an editorial published in a special edition of North American Spine Society's The Spine Journal, which focuses on rhBMP-2.

A critical review of 13 industry-sponsored studies on recombinant bone morphogentic protein-2 found that the actual risk of adverse events was 10-15 times higher than the study estimates originally reported, according to a release from the North American Spine Society.

New data shows that neurologic deficits are inherent potential complications of spine surgery, even among skilled spinal deformity surgeons, according to a study published in Spine.

Prior to 1950, sacroiliac joint dysfunction was thought the predominant cause of back pain. Post-1950, physicians have been more focused on the disc as the cause for back pain, which has led to several advances in that area of spine…

Stephen T. Onesti, MD, a neurosurgeon specializing in spine surgery, has joined Neurological Surgery P.C. in Rockville Centre, N.Y., according to a practice news release.

Spine Center Network, a company that provides report cards for regional spine centers, was recently launched in 16 states, according to a company news release.

Robert Watkins, Jr., MD, orthopedic spine surgeon and co-director of Marina Spine Center at Marina Del Rey (Calif.) Hospital, discusses four points on biologics in spine surgery.

The Spine Foundation, an independent organization with the mission to increase access to spinal care, has received a major institutional gift from Laser Spine Institute, a provider of endoscopic spine surgery with locations throughout the country, according to a news…

A recent policy draft from the Centers of Medicare and Medicaid Services and First Coast with Local Coverage Determination affecting the state of Florida concludes that Medicare will no longer cover multi-level lumbar fusion for symptomatic degenerative disc disease.

Richard A. Kaul, MD, of New Jersey Spine and Rehabilitation, has begun Project Backbone, an initiative that will provide no cost back and spine care for veterans of the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan, according to a surgery center news…