Spine

Spine surgeons saw a major victory in a yearslong payer battle this year when Aetna revised its lumbar disc replacement policy in February. Now, some surgeons are looking ahead to the next hurdle they could face from insurers.

Hospital charges for elective total cervical disc replacement increased significantly from 2009 to 2019, Medicare reimbursement hasn't kept up, according to a study published in the November 2023 issue of the Journal of Neurosurgery.

For years, the field of orthopedic and spine surgery has remained remarkably undiverse, boasting the highest percentage of active physicians identifying as white. 

PathKeeper Surgical's 3D optical navigation system has been used in Massachusetts for the first time during a spinal fusion surgery at Southcoast Health's St. Luke's Hospital in New Bedford. 

Here are the things spine surgeons and physicians are grateful for in 2023 ahead of the Thanksgiving holiday.

Scoliosis affects 2% to 3% of the U.S. population, or approximately 6 million  to 9 million people. The condition accounts for more than 38,000 spinal fusion procedures each year, according to the National Scoliosis Foundation. Scoliosis affects professional athletes, musicians,…

Here are five surgeons receiving recognition that Becker's has reported on since Oct. 19:

Here are four spine and orthopedic surgery "firsts" since Oct. 1.

Sigurd Berven, MD, professor in residence and chief of spine service at UCSF Health sees spine surgery moving outpatient as technology develops and surgeons become more precise with their approach to care.

Next year could see increased integration of endoscopic spine techniques, according to Paul Houle, MD.