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June 15, 2017 OrthoSpineNews

ELK RIVER, MN, June 13, 2017— Cretex Companies (www.cretex.com) today announced it has acquired Quality Tech Services (QTS), a supplier of outsourced packaging services to the medical device industry.

We are extremely pleased to have QTS join our Cretex Medical group of companies,” said Lynn Schuler, Chief Executive Officer of Cretex Companies, Inc. “QTS is widely recognized as a leading provider of validated assembly, kitting, and packaging solutions. Their experienced team, including packaging engineers and microbiologists, are experts in the end‐of‐line, critical processes that most companies don’t understand or do well. By adding QTS’s capabilities, we’ve made Cretex Medical an even better outsource partner for medical device companies.”

Located in Bloomington, MN, QTS specializes in cleanroom assembly, packaging and labeling, sterilization management, process development and validations, and material sourcing and supply chain management. They serve a broad set of Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) in the orthopedic, neurology, pulmonary, dental, and other medical device markets.

Doug Wilder, President of QTS, said, “We’re very excited to become part of the Cretex Medical group. Medical device OEMs are increasingly looking for providers who bring end‐to‐end solutions. They are actively pruning their supplier base and rewarding those who can do more. Combining Cretex and QTS creates significant upside for our customers. Equally important, the combination will be great for our employees. The cultures of the two companies are very similar. Customer service, quality, and providing a positive work environment are values that we share. We’re anxious to get started.”

Terms of the acquisition were not disclosed.

About Cretex Companies, Inc.

Cretex, established in 1917, is a privately held, diversified manufacturing company headquartered in Elk River, Minnesota serving four major markets: medical, aerospace & defense, industrial, and infrastructure. Under the Cretex Medical brand, the company’s subsidiaries rms, rms Surgical, Meier, Spectralytics, JunoPacific, and QTS provide contract manufacturing and outsourcing services to medical device manufacturers (OEMs). Cretex Medical provides a full suite of capabilities, including precision machining, metal stamping and fabrication, laser processing, plastic injection molding, medical device assembly and cleanroom packaging. Cretex Companies employs about 2,000 people in 14 locations in Minnesota, California, Tennessee, and Wisconsin.

Contact Info

Katie Welch Len

612‐720‐9374

Email: katiep@newsworthycommunications.com


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June 15, 2017 OrthoSpineNews

June 14, 2017

BERLIN–(BUSINESS WIRE)–GE Additive (NYSE: GE) and Stryker have entered a partnership agreement to support Stryker’s growth in additive manufacturing. The agreement covers new additive machines, materials and services for Stryker’s global supply chain operations. The announcement was made at GE’s Minds + Machines event, GE’s premier industrial internet event dedicated to software, innovation and the sharing of the most powerful digital industrial outcomes.

“GE and Stryker share a similar vision and both of us understand the transformative power of additive design and manufacturing,” said Vice President and General Manager of GE Additive, Mohammad Ehteshami. “We regard Stryker as one of the most experienced practitioners of metal additive, with a range of commercialised medical products. We will continue to innovate with new additive products, materials, and technologies, which will support their growth.”

Stryker has already invested in Concept Laser and Arcam machines. The company’s investment in additive manufacturing began in 2001 and, since then, Stryker has collaborated with leading universities in Ireland and the UK to industrialize 3D printing for the healthcare industry. Stryker recently opened a global technology development center with an additive technology manufacturing hub in Carrigtohill, County Cork, Ireland. Additive manufacturing allows Stryker to address design complexity and achieve previously unmanufacturable geometries.

“Working with GE Additive and leveraging their expertise is a very compelling proposition for Stryker,” said John Haller, Vice President of Global Supply at Stryker. “We believe this collaboration will accelerate our additive manufacturing journey and support our mission to make healthcare better.”

For many years, GE has been a leading end user and innovator in the additive manufacturing space. In addition to the $1.4 billion investment in Concept Laser and Arcam, GE has also invested approximately $1.5 billion in manufacturing and additive technologies over the past 10 years, developed additive applications across six GE businesses, created new services applications across the company, and earned 346 patents in powder metals used in the additive process. In 2016, the company established GE Additive to become a leading supplier of additive technology, materials and services for industries and businesses worldwide.

GE Additive is part of GE (NYSE: GE) – the world’s Digital Industrial Company, transforming industry with software-defined machines and solutions that are connected, responsive and predictive. GE Additive includes additive machine providers Concept Laser and ArcamEBM; along with additive material provider AP&C and additive service provider to the medical industry, DTI. As a notable user of additive technologies GE recognize the value and potential it brings to modern design and manufacturing. GE is organized around a global exchange of knowledge, the “GE Store,” through which each business shares and accesses the same technology, resources and intellect. GE delivers better outcomes for customers by speaking the language of industry. www.geadditive.com

About Stryker

Stryker is one of the world’s leading medical technology companies and, together with our customers, we are driven to make healthcare better. The Company offers a diverse array of innovative products and services in Orthopaedics, Medical and Surgical, and Neurotechnology and Spine that help improve patient and hospital outcomes. Stryker is active in over 100 countries around the world. More information is available at www.stryker.com.

Contacts

GE Additive
Rick Kennedy, +1 513.607.0609
rick.l.kennedy@ge.com


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June 15, 2017 OrthoSpineNews

Press Release – Ecully, 14 June 2017

Spineway, specialist in surgical implants and instruments for treating disorders of the spinal column (spine), has obtained a new order via its California partner amounting to $1M.

This order, recorded by the Group’s US subsidiary, Spineway USA Inc., will be fulfilled in the next few weeks. It concerns the Mont-Blanc, Twin Peaks, Blue Mountain and Ayers Rocks product lines and shows US surgeons’ increasing interest in Spineway’s products.

With $3M in orders received in eight months, Spineway confirms the rise of its US subsidiary and reconfirms its ambition to generate a significant portion of its revenue from the US market.

SPINEWAY IS ELIGIBLE FOR THE PEA-PME (EQUITY SAVINGS PLAN FOR SMES)
Find out all about Spineway at www.spineway.com

Next communication:
2017 First Semester Sales – 18 July 2017, after market closes

Spineway designs, manufactures and markets innovative implants and surgical instruments for treating severe disorders of the spinal column.
Spineway has an international network of over 50 independent distributors and 90% of its turnover comes from exports.
Spineway, which is eligible for investment through FCPIs (French unit trusts specializing in innovation), received the OSEO Excellence award as well as the Deloitte Fast 50 award in 2011. Rhône Alpes INPI Patent Innovation Award (2013) – Talent INPI award (2015).
ISIN code: FR0011398874 – ALSPW     

Investor Relations
David Siegrist – Finance Director
Tel: +33 (0)4 72 77 01 52
finance.dsg@spineway.com
Financial Communication
Jérôme Gacoin / Solène Kennis
Tel: +33 (0)1 75 77 54 68
skennis@aelium.fr

Attachments:

http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/8e361d3c-34b3-4ec1-9234-125a04d93c00

 


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June 15, 2017 OrthoSpineNews

NEWPORT BEACH, CA–(Marketwired – Jun 14, 2017) – ORHub, Inc. (OTC: ORHB), a cloud-based medical software company established as the Operating Room Hub for data and analytics, today announces that it is launching its new service module for hip and knee surgical procedures, July 2017. With over 100 million surgeries performed in the U.S. every year and growing, this new service line significantly expands the addressable market for the Company’s dynamic analytics capabilities and Surgical Resource Management platform.

“The launch of this new module follows the successful launch of our spine module, which for the past eight months has been in continuous use in two nationally recognized hospitals, achieving overwhelming success. Our hips and knees module is the second of many on our technical road map that will allow us to exponentially grow our addressable market and take advantage of the resulting opportunities,” says ORHub CEO Colt Melby.

According to the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, more than 300,000 total hip replacements and 600,000 knee replacements are performed each year in the United States, a figure expected to grow by 13.19 % per year for the next five years. ORHub’s hip and knee service module presents to this growing market unprecedented procedure data and advanced analytics.

ORHub’s Surgical Resource Management software transforms the OR into a highly efficient information center that provides the ability to track and monitor surgical implants, compare material costs, and identify physician and financial impacts in the operating room at the point of surgery. The software also tackles the data chaining needed for cost, usage and eventual outcome correlation in all surgeries without heavy IT investments in infrastructure.

The Company’s spine service line is currently being used for all spine cases in the operating room of two major hospitals in Southern California, where the company recently announced it has successfully collected data from more than 500 surgeries (http://nnw.fm/DTkw3), a number that continues to grow on a daily basis. The data collected provides the hospitals valuable insight that helps identify user needs and make near real-time data driven decisions to improve profitability and the quality of patient care.

“We look forward to updating shareholders on our progress as we continue to build new service modules at a rapid pace conducive to increased corporate value,” says Melby.

ORHub, Transforming the Business of Surgery
The ease of deployment is weeks instead of years, and the power to provide process data for illumination of costs and improvement, gives OR directors and hospital administrators powerful new capabilities to transform the business of surgery. ORHub is capable of agile, low-cost integration with a hospital’s system of choice to complement existing capabilities and provide analytics that are currently not available in the OR suite as a comprehensive view of each episode of care. This puts decision making power at the fingertips of directors and administrators as well as physicians and vendors.

Its case-based subscription model also transforms the business of surgery by moving the infrastructure costs from a CAPEX budget cycle into the operational budget of the OR director. A hospital’s time to insight is transformed from months or weeks to minutes, and the revenue cycle is compressed so time to money is quicker for substantial cash flow improvement.

About ORHub, Inc.
ORHub is a cloud-based software company focused on delivering performance-based medicine at the speed of surgery. The system is in full operation and in daily use at two major hospitals in Southern California.

ORHub enables all parties involved in surgical care to work together to organize, deliver, measure and reimburse in a single uniform process. ORHub’s cloud capabilities also provide a bridge for hospitals in their hybrid cloud strategies, integrating with EHRs and other systems as requested. ORHub is an agile answer for hospitals looking to unlock the power of the OR. Its case-based subscription revenue model also transforms the economics of hospital software from a CAPEX to an OPEX budgeting process.

The need for ORHub is clear. Health care comprises more than 17% of US GDP at over $3 trillion per year. With costs rising every year due to an aging population and more expensive treatments, providers are under severe pressure to become more efficient and reduce costs from payers who are aggressively reducing reimbursements and moving away from fee-for-service and toward performance-based reimbursement. ORHub enables providers to thrive in this new environment by addressing the single largest segment of health care, which is surgical care. ORHub replaces numerous legacy systems with a 360-degree system that is focused on tracking cost from diagnosis to discharge. ORHub has offices in Phoenix, Arizona; Newport Beach, California; and Bellevue, Washington.

Forward-Looking Statements
This news release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Although the Company believes the expectations reflected in any forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, it can give no assurances that its expectations will be attained. Such statements are inherently uncertain, and actual results and activities may differ materially from those estimated or projected. Certain factors that can affect the Company’s ability to achieve its anticipated results include, among others, uncertainties inherent in the development of a new software product business.

CONTACT INFORMATION


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June 14, 2017 OrthoSpineNews

June 13, 2017

SAN DIEGO–(BUSINESS WIRE)–DJO Global, Inc. (“DJO Global” or the “Company”), a leading global provider of medical technologies designed to get and keep people moving, announces the onset of a clinical trial for a new indication of the CMF OL1000 Bone Growth Stimulator.

Combined Magnetic Field (CMF) devices have been on the market since the early 1990s, providing medical professionals with a tool for the noninvasive treatment of an established non-union fracture acquired secondary to trauma, excluding all vertebrae and flat bones. Due to the type of signal technology, CMF devices are prescribed for a treatment time of 30-minutes per day. These battery-powered, FDA-approved medical devices can be used in conjunction with non-magnetic internal or external fixation, over a cast or brace.

DJO Global, through its subsidiary, Encore Medical L.P., initiated the application for an Investigational Device Exemption (IDE) Study with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for a new indication of the CMF technology into the fresh fracture market. The prospective, randomized, double-blinded, controlled, multi-center clinical study will evaluate the use of the CMF OL1000 as a noninvasive adjunctive treatment for closed, unstable ankle fractures that require surgical treatment for stabilization. The FDA-approved study initiated enrollment in January of this year.

For more information on this study, please visit: https://www.clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02688855?term=NCT02688855&rank=1.

For more information on the CMF product portfolio, please visit: http://www.djoglobal.com/our-brands/cmf.

About DJO Global

DJO Global is a leading global provider of medical technologies designed to get and keep people moving. The Company’s products address the continuum of patient care from injury prevention to rehabilitation after surgery, injury or from degenerative disease, enabling people to regain or maintain their natural motion. Its products are used by orthopaedic specialists, spine surgeons, primary care physicians, pain management specialists, physical therapists, podiatrists, chiropractors, athletic trainers and other healthcare professionals. In addition, many of the Company’s medical devices and related accessories are used by athletes and patients for injury prevention and at-home physical therapy treatment. The Company’s product lines include rigid and soft orthopaedic bracing, hot and cold therapy, bone growth stimulators, vascular therapy systems and compression garments, therapeutic shoes and inserts, electrical stimulators used for pain management and physical therapy products. The Company’s surgical division offers a comprehensive suite of reconstructive joint products for the hip, knee and shoulder. DJO Global’s products are marketed under a portfolio of brands including Aircast®, Chattanooga, CMF™, Compex®, DonJoy®, ProCare®, DJO® Surgical, Dr. Comfort® and ExosTM. For additional information on the Company, please visit www.DJOglobal.com.

Safe Harbor Statement

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Such statements relate to, among other things, the Company’s expectations regarding the success of the announced clinical trial which are subject to a number of risks, uncertainties and assumptions, many of which are beyond the Company’s ability to control or predict. The Company undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. The important factors that could cause the announced clinical trial to not be successful or to differ significantly from the Company’s expectations which are expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to the successful execution of the Company’s clinical trial, including complying with regulations applicable to such clinical trials; the failure to receive positive clinical results for this product, and even if we receive positive clinical results, the failure to receive the necessary clearance or approvals from the applicable government regulators to market and sell our products for the desired indications; and the uncertainty of acceptance by healthcare providers of the use of the Company’s product for the requested new indications. These and other risk factors related to DJO Global are detailed in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2016, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on March 15, 2017. Many of the factors that will determine the outcome of the subject matter of this press release are beyond the Company’s ability to control or predict.

Contacts

DJO Media Contact:
Brittany Knudson
Marketing Director
760.681.7785
Brittany.Knudson@djoglobal.com
or
DJO Investor Contact:
David Smith
SVP and Treasurer
760.734.3075
ir@djoglobal.com


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June 14, 2017 OrthoSpineNews

Press release from: TMR Research – 06-14-2017

The global market for extremity reconstruction is expected to witness a high level of growth in the next few years. The rising number of cases of abnormalities and injuries in the lower and upper extremity of the human body is one of the vital factors estimated to encourage the growth of the global market in the coming years. In addition, several advancements in the healthcare infrastructure are anticipated to accelerate the development of the market in the near future. The implant devices for different parts of the human body comprises the extremity reconstruction market in the coming years.

A tremendous rise in the geriatric population and the rising incidences of obesity and diabetes are some of the major factors that are estimated to fuel the development of the global extremity reconstruction market in the near future. Moreover, the increasing cases of osteoarthritis and rheumatoid are likely to accelerate the growth of the market in the coming years. The rising awareness regarding the benefits of small joint reconstruction implants among patients is predicted to encourage the growth of the global extremity reconstruction market in the next few years.
Request Sample Copy of the Report @ www.tmrresearch.com/sample/sample?flag=B&rep_id=1175

Technological advancements and the availability of required infrastructure are projected to augment extremity reconstruction market in North America market in the next few years. The leading players operating in the extremity reconstruction market across the globe are emphasizing on introducing innovative implants in order to attract a large number of consumers and attain a leading position in the market. Additionally, the rising level of competition is predicted to expand the product portfolio and benefit the patients in the coming years.

Global Extremity Reconstruction Market: Overview

The increasing incidence of injuries, abnormalities, and congenital defects in the upper or lower extremity of human body has fueled the demand for reconstructive surgical procedures. Implant devices for the shoulder, wrist, ankle joints, digits, elbow, and foot are part of the extremity reconstruction market.

Request TOC of the Report @ www.tmrresearch.com/sample/sample?flag=T&rep_id=1175

The primary driver of the global extremity reconstruction market is the large pool of geriatric population. According to the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention, with a rise in the geriatric population in the U.S., by the year 2040, the number of patients affected by arthritis is expected to increase to 78 million. Since aged people are more prone to injuries, growth in geriatric population is expected to fuel the demand for reconstructive surgical procedures.

 

READ THE REST HERE


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June 14, 2017 OrthoSpineNews

Pune, India — (SBWIRE) — 06/14/2017 — Market Highlight

The global spinal implants market has been evaluated to be rapidly growing market and is expected to grow tremendously in the near future. Spinal implants are devices used by surgeons during surgery to treats deformities, stabilize and provide strength to the spine and to expedite the fusion process.

Spinal implants are used to treat spine related disorders including degenerative disc disease, scoliosis, kyphosis, fracture and spondylolisthesis. Global spinal implants market which is currently growing tremendously and is expected to reach USD 14 billion by the end of 2022.

Major Key Players

-Alphatec Spine Inc,
-Amedica Corporation,
-Depuy Synthes Inc. (Johnson & Johnson),
-Exactech Inc.,
-Globus Medical Inc.,
-Integra LifeSciences,
-K2M Inc.,
-LDR Holding Corporation,
-Medtronic plc,
-NuVasive Inc.,
-Orthofix Holdings, Inc.,
-RTI Surgical Inc.,
-Stryker Corporation,
-Quandary Medical LLC,
-Zimmer Biomet

 

READ THE REST HERE


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June 14, 2017 OrthoSpineNews

WARSAW, Ind., June 13, 2017 /PRNewswire/ — Zimmer Biomet Holdings, Inc. (NYSE and SIX: ZBH), a global leader in musculoskeletal healthcare, today announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has notified the Company that the Warning Letter dated June 3, 2015 relating to its Zhejiang, China manufacturing facility has been closed out.

“The successful clearance of the Warning Letter related to our Zhejiang, China manufacturing facility is a measure of the progress we have made in our ongoing quality and operational excellence journey,” said David Dvorak, Zimmer Biomet’s President and Chief Executive Officer.  “Zimmer Biomet takes seriously its responsibility to support surgeons and their patients, and the Company will continue to take the necessary actions to demonstrate our commitment to quality excellence, patient safety and regulatory compliance.”

About Zimmer Biomet

Founded in 1927 and headquartered in Warsaw, Indiana, Zimmer Biomet is a global leader in musculoskeletal healthcare. We design, manufacture and market orthopaedic reconstructive products; sports medicine, biologics, extremities and trauma products; office based technologies; spine, craniomaxillofacial and thoracic products; dental implants; and related surgical products.

We collaborate with healthcare professionals around the globe to advance the pace of innovation. Our products and solutions help treat patients suffering from disorders of, or injuries to, bones, joints or supporting soft tissues. Together with healthcare professionals, we help millions of people live better lives.

We have operations in more than 25 countries around the world and sell products in more than 100 countries. For more information, visit www.zimmerbiomet.com, or follow Zimmer Biomet on Twitter at www.twitter.com/zimmerbiomet.

Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This news release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.  Forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements concerning Zimmer Biomet’s expectations, plans, prospects, and product and service offerings, including new product launches and potential clinical successes.  Such statements are based upon the current beliefs and expectations of management and are subject to significant risks and uncertainties that could cause actual outcomes and results to differ materially.  For a list and description of some of such risks and uncertainties, see our periodic reports filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).  These factors should not be construed as exhaustive and should be read in conjunction with the other cautionary statements that are included in Zimmer Biomet’s filings with the SEC.  We disclaim any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as may be set forth in our periodic reports.  Accordingly, such forward-looking statements speak only as of the date made.  Readers of this news release are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, since, while management believes the assumptions on which the forward-looking statements are based are reasonable, there can be no assurance that these forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate.  This cautionary statement is applicable to all forward-looking statements contained in this news release.

ZBH-Corp

SOURCE Zimmer Biomet Holdings, Inc.


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June 14, 2017 OrthoSpineNews

OrthAlign, Inc., a privately held U.S.-based medical device and technology company providing orthopedic surgeons with advanced precision technologies, announced today the first set of KneeAlign® cases completed for total knee arthroplasty (TKA) in Greece. These cases were completed by Athens-based orthopaedic surgeon Spyridon Armpis, MD, MSc and continue to reflect the rapid adoption of OrthAlign’s handheld precision alignment and positioning technologies, by surgeons throughout the world.

OrthAlign provides highly accurate, computer-assisted, handheld technologies for surgeons to receive real-time, actionable data for precise alignment and positioning of components in total knee, unicondylar knee, and total hip (both posterior and anterior) arthroplasty surgeries. Over 15 peer-reviewed clinical studies have been published to date, validating OrthAlign’s accuracy, simplicity of use, and benefits in recovery for the patient.

“The accuracy and simplicity of KneeAlign surprised me,” said Dr. Armpis. “The technology not only gives me confidence in my cuts, but allows me to elevate my standard of care for patients. I no longer have to invade the intramedullary canal, I don’t have to make multiple cuts, and it makes me, my OR staff, and the recovery process for my patients more efficient. Going forward, KneeAlign will be a key part of my practice and my patient-tailored recovery program, as I am convinced it will give my patients the best possible outcomes.”

In a published TKA clinical study by Denis Nam, M.D. (Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL), significant differences favoring the use of KneeAlign vs. conventional Computer Assisted Surgery were found with regard to the accuracy of femoral component alignment, with 94.9% of patients in the KneeAlign cohort having an alignment within 2° of neutral vs. 92.5% in the CAS cohort. There was also a significant difference in overall mean mechanical alignment of the limb, with 92.5% of patients within 3° of neutral mechanical axis in the KneeAlign cohort vs. 86.3% in the CAS cohort.

In another study by Dr. Nam (conducted as a randomized controlled trial, consisting of five different surgeons), it was found that KneeAlign decreases the incidence of outliers for tibial component alignment in both the coronal and sagittal planes, and improves the surgeon’s ability to achieve a specific, intraoperative goal, compared to conventional, tibial extramedullary (EM) alignment guides in TKA. In the KneeAlign cohort, 95.7% of tibial components were within 2° of perpendicular to the tibial mechanical axis and 95% of tibial components were within 2° of a 3° posterior slope (compared to 68.1% and 72.1% in the EM cohort, respectively).

“OrthAlign is delighted to have successfully completed its first KneeAlign cases in Athens,” said James Young Kim, OrthAlign’s Vice President and General Manager of International. “As Greece comprises of 25,000 TKAs annually, it is seeking a cost-effective solution that helps surgeons achieve quicker, more precise results for their patients. Dr. Armpis approached us with this strong desire and was the first surgeon in Greece to experience the power of KneeAlign. As OrthAlign continues to focus on expanding customer reach and portfolio expansion, we welcome the country of Greece to the OrthAlign family and look forward to further introducing it in the Greek orthopaedic market.”

About OrthAlign, Inc.

OrthAlign is a privately held medical device and technology company, developing advanced technologies that deliver healthier and more pain-free lifestyles to joint replacement patients, globally. We provide healthcare professionals with cutting edge, computer-assisted surgical tools that seamlessly and cost-effectively deliver vital data and clinical results to optimize outcomes for our patients. For more information regarding OrthAlign, please visit http://www.orthalign.com.

“ORTHALIGN®, ORTHALIGN PLUS®, KNEEALIGN®, KNEEALIGN® 2, HIPALIGN®, and UNIALIGN™ are registered trademarks of OrthAlign, Inc.”


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June 14, 2017 OrthoSpineNews

, Coloradoan – June 8, 2017

Last year, Dr. Kenneth Pettine was arrested on a handful of charges related to prescription fraud. Now, he can never practice medicine again. The Coloradoan takes you inside the investigation.

In hindsight, Sherri Kaspar feels weird about the Fudgsicles.

Nationally renowned spinal surgeon Kenneth Pettine bought them for her after he performed a procedure that Kaspar said left her without use of her legs and triggered relentless, debilitating infection.

Pettine stowed the treats in a freezer at McKee Medical Center in Loveland, scrawling her name on the box he bought for her to enjoy post-surgery.

Kaspar used to think the gesture meant Pettine was her friend. Now that Pettine is a convicted criminal barred from practicing medicine, she considers the ice cream a symbol of the doctor’s knack for manipulation.

“He tried to buy me off,” she said during an interview at her Kersey mobile home.

That incident was a long time ago  — 26 years ago, to be exact. But Kaspar’s experiences illustrate the two vastly different versions of the Johnstown surgeon arrested in June 2016 on suspicion of prescription fraud.

Pettine’s supporters paint him as a man of faith, an Eagle Scout, a brilliant surgeon with “hands of gold” who financed college educations and saved children from disease and neglect with his own money.

Others describe a darker side of Pettine: A drug-addled smooth-talker who botched surgeries, lied on medical records and used his position of power to secure an endless stream of prescription drugs. Several former patients said they went to Pettine for help and emerged from surgeries in excruciating pain, suffering from mistreated infections and lifelong disabilities.

Maybe you saw Pettine in the news last year. It was a big story.

On May 2, 2016, Kenneth Pettine was a well-regarded figure in the medical field who’d performed 12,000 spinal surgeries. He had a $2.4 million mansion and ownership stakes in three medical practices and a surgical center.

Then his minority partners at Johnstown’s Premier Regenerative Stem Cell and Wellness Centers turned him in. The criminal investigation that followed left Pettine stripped of his medical license and saddled with lawsuits and misdemeanor convictions.

 

READ THE REST HERE