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Current Issues in Spine

February 2-4, 2017

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November 23, 2022 OrthoSpineNews

February 01, 2017

CHICAGO–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Family-owned orthopedics leader Medacta International is heading into 2017 with significant momentum in its U.S. spine business, including the appointment of a new Medical Director following breakout business performance in 2016. Effective immediately, noted spinal surgeon and data scientist S. Raymond Golish, MD, PhD, MBA will serve as Medical Director of the Medacta USA Spine Division. Dr. Golish will support Medacta’s U.S. subsidiary in its spine product development and commercial activities, helping the company expand upon its culture of collaboration, clinical excellence, and evidence-based and patient-centric innovation.

Dr. Golish is a fellowship-trained spinal surgeon, medical device and data scientist, and experienced healthcare administrator and executive. He currently acts as Medical Director of Spinal Surgery and of Clinical Trials at Jupiter Medical Center (Jupiter, Florida) and is a practicing spinal surgeon at Florida Spine Center in Palm Beach, Florida. He serves as Chairman of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) Biomedical Engineering Committee and Chairman and Director of the Board for the Research Committee of the North American Spine Foundation. From 2012 to 2016, he was a voting member on the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s Orthopaedic and Rehabilitation Devices Panel. Dr. Golish received his PhD and MD from the University of California, Los Angeles in 2002 and 2004, respectively. He completed his spinal surgery fellowship at Stanford University in 2010 and received his MBA from Duke University in 2013.

“With his diverse experience as a surgeon, medical data scientist and expert in U.S. regulatory affairs, Dr. Golish will be an important addition to the Medacta spine team as it continues to introduce methodical, thoughtful and evidence-based innovations,” said Francesco Siccardi, Executive Vice President of Medacta International. “His steadfast dedication to patient safety and the role that medical device innovation can play in improving life aligns well with our ideals at Medacta, and we are thrilled to have him on board as we look to meet our ambitious growth targets in the year ahead.”

Dr. Golish joins Medacta following an impactful year. The company’s Spine Division experienced more than 140 percent sales growth in 2016 and now boasts five consecutive quarters of 24 percent quarter-over-quarter growth. Last year, the Division increased its customer base by 105 percent and added more than 40 new field agents selling its products in the U.S.

“Medacta’s key differentiator is its unique corporate culture, which focuses on excellence in patient care, quality, evidence and innovation in a way that moves the field forward while keeping safety paramount,” said Dr. Golish. “It’s an exciting time for Medacta as a whole, but especially for its Spine Division, which experienced transformative growth in 2016 and is poised to meet or even exceed upon the bold growth targets set for 2017.”

In 2016, Medacta’s Spine Division unveiled three new products, including the MySpine Low Profile Guide. Dr. Golish was one of the first U.S.-based surgeons to utilize the 3D-printed pedicle screw guide following its FDA clearance in October 2016. The pedicle screw guide builds on the MySpine Standard Profile, named by Orthopedics This Week as a Best New Technology for Spine Care when it was released in 2014.

About Medacta

Medacta® International is a world leading manufacturer of orthopedic implants, neurosurgical systems, and instrumentation. Medacta’s revolutionary approach and responsible innovation have resulted in standard of care breakthroughs in hip replacement with the AMIS®system and total knee replacement with MyKnee® patient matched technology. Over the last 10 years, Medacta has grown dramatically by taking a different approach and placing value on all aspects of the care experience from design to training to sustainability. Medacta is headquartered in Castel San Pietro, Switzerland, and operates in over 30 countries. To learn more about Medacta International, please visit www.medacta.com or follow @Medacta on Twitter.

Contacts

for Medacta USA
Jill Bongiorni, 516-729-2250
Jill@torchcomllc.com


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November 16, 2022 OrthoSpineNews

KILKENNY, Ireland, Nov. 16, 2022 /OrthoSpineNews/ — Spinal Stabilization Technologies (SST) has announced the start of the LOPAIN2 clinical trial of the PerQdisc™ Nucleus Replacement Device (NRD).

SST’s PerQdisc Nucleus Replacement Device will be studied in patients with degenerative disc disease (DDD) of the lumbar spine, which causes severe back pain, in patients without stenosis or instability. The PerQdisc is used for surgical replacement of a single nucleus pulposus between spinal lumbar discs L1-S1 using an anterior or lateral transpsoas approach. Currently, there is no good surgical option for these patients. SST’s PerQdisc NRD aims to treat discogenic low back pain while maintaining disc height and preserving range of motion.

This trial is enrolling 72 patients and taking place in seven research centers in South America. Data from the LOPAIN2 trials will be used to file for the CE Mark under the Medical Device Regulation (MDR) in Europe. The LOPAIN2 trial is registered on clinicaltrials.gov (NCT05508360).

“We’re impressed with the quality of clinical trial research in the South American region,” said Mark Novotny, CEO of SST. “These are advanced research centers with fully staffed research teams. The patient care and follow-up are excellent. In an earlier trial, no patient was lost to follow-up. The surgeons and their research staff we are working with are all highly trained in clinical research and motivated to make our trials in South America a success.”

Dr. Javier Duarte, principal, investigator at Hospital Americano in Asuncion Paraguay, the largest enroller in the overall SST clinical trial program, stated, “The results I’m getting with the PerQdisc are excellent. I have been able to refine the technique to a point where I’m comfortable routinely offering the option to my DDD patients.”

“I believe nucleus replacement is finally here to stay. I enrolled and treated the first patient in LOPAIN2. The procedure is easy to learn, and the result is a custom implant that is fitted perfectly to the patient’s anatomy,” added Dr. Rodolfo Paez, principal investigator at Hospital de San José in Bogota, Colombia.

SST will attend numerous meetings in 2023 to present the clinical data from its programs and present the technique to surgeons worldwide.

About Spinal Stabilization Technologies, Ltd
Spinal Stabilization Technologies, Ltd (SST), an Irish company headquartered in Kilkenny, Ireland, develops novel technologies for treating patients with lumbar discogenic back pain. SST’s products and techniques are based on the philosophy that less invasive surgery may be associated with better clinical outcomes and could improve the lives of many patients with limited options for treating their back pain. The company has extensive worldwide intellectual property and is focused on evidence-based medicine.

For more information, physicians may visit https://www.sstspine.com/

MEDIA CONTACT: Paul Maccabee, 612-366-5287



October 21, 2022 OrthoSpineNews

A decade ago, orthopedic surgeon Dr. Larry Lenke had an idea of how to do things a little better in the operating room.

Lenke, who specializes in correcting spinal deformities, pitched his idea for an anterior spine surgery system to Medtronic Inc., one of the world’s largest medical device companies.

Since that time, Lenke has led Medtronic’s development of a complete spinal surgery system that can be customized according to the patient’s size. The Legacy Spinal System is now one of the leading systems used by orthopedic surgeons worldwide.

In the first three months of 2010, Lenke earned $832,000 in royalties from Medtronic, putting him on track to top $3 million in royalties this year.

Lenke is one of three local orthopedic surgeons who were paid a total of nearly $1.2 million in royalties by Medtronic in the first quarter of this year for medical innovations they helped develop, according to disclosures made public by the company this month.

“Not a lot of places in the country have orthopedic surgeons who are doing this kind of work,” said Thomas Sullivan, president of Rockpointe Corp., a medical education company based in Columbia, Md. “Clearly St. Louis is one of the nation’s leaders.”

Lenke received between .5 percent and 1 percent of sales of the systems in royalties.

“The royalties are very small, but the sales are large,” he said. Lenke is the co-chief of adult and pediatric spinal, scoliosis and reconstructive surgery and the Jerome J. Gliden professor of orthopedic surgery at the Washington University School of Medicine, the director of spinal surgery at Shriners Hospital for Children, and a spine consultant to the St. Louis Rams and Blues.

Dr. Matthew Gornet of the Orthopedic Center of St. Louis in Chesterfield received $209,000 in first-quarter royalties from Medtronic for his contributions to a pedicle screw and PEEK rod spinal fixation system. Dr. K. Daniel Riew, a professor of orthopedic surgery and neurological surgery and chief of cervical spine surgery at the Washington University School of Medicine, received $143,000 in royalties for his contributions to a posterior spinal fixation system distributed by Medtronic.

According to disclosures from Washington University, during 2009 Riew received more than $200,000 in royalties from Medtronic, along with between $100,000 and $200,000 in royalties from Warsaw, Ind.-based Biomet Spine and between $10,000 and $25,000 in royalties from Manhattan Beach, Calif.-based Osprey Biomedical Corp. Riew also holds an equity position in Osprey, according to Washington University’s disclosures.

In addition to the orthopedic surgeons, Dr. Jane Chen, a cardiologist and assistant professor of medicine at Washington University, was paid between $5,000 and $9,999 in training and education fees by Medtronic in the first quarter of 2009.

Washington University requires all faculty physicians to annually disclose all payments, whether consulting fees or royalties, received from medical companies. Of the 1,390 physicians who filed disclosures last year, only 11 received royalty payments, according to Dr. James Crane, chief executive of Washington University Physicians and associate vice chancellor for clinical affairs at the medical school.

Lenke and Riew were both among the highest paid employees at Washington University in fiscal 2009, according to the university’s most recent 990 filing with the IRS. Lenke received $909,816 in total compensation for the year, and Riew received $1.07 million, according to the filing.

Top earner

Only three other doctors or physician groups were paid more in Medtronic royalties than Lenke in the first quarter, according to Medtronic’s physician registry. Dr. Kevin Foley of Germantown, Tenn., was the top earner, receiving $3.97 million in royalties for 10 different products or systems.

In total, Medtronic made payments to more than 220 doctors or doctors groups around the country, and it paid more than $15.7 million in royalty and consulting fees to physicians in the quarter.

Fridley, Minn.-based Medtronic announced in February 2009 that it soon would be making its physicians’ payment public, amidst a whistleblower lawsuit over such payments. A federal judge eventually threw out that lawsuit.

The disclosure by Medtronic precedes a disclosure requirement, the Physicians Payments Sunshine Act, that will go into effect in 2012 as part of the recently passed federal health reform legislation.

Critics claim that ongoing payments to physicians by medical device or pharmaceutical firms create a conflict of interest, influencing which drugs doctors prescribe or which surgical devices they recommend. The Sunshine Act will require medical companies to publicly disclose all payouts to physicians over $10.

“Transparency is very important in medicine,” Lenke said. “That’s why I applaud Medtronic for being the first company to make these disclosures.”

Lenke receives no royalties from Medtronic devices he uses in his own practice or those used by his team or at any BJC HealthCare Hospital.

Read more: Medtronic backs top doc with royalties – St. Louis Business Journal


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January 29, 2021 OrthoSpineNews

TORONTO, March 24, 2015 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Synergy Disc Replacement, Inc. (“SDRI” or “the Company”), developers of the SYNERGY DISC and alternative spine technologies, announced today the signing of a seven-year agreement appointing GM Medical Pacific Limited (“GM Medical”) the exclusive master distributor of the Company’s SYNERGY DISC in the Asia-Pacific region.

The SYNERGY DISC is the world’s first cervical disc replacement that is designed specifically to actively correct pre-operative deformity, prevent post-operative misalignment, and provide optimal stability for multi-level procedures. The SYNERGY DISC incorporates a revolutionary geometric design, offering multiple alignment corrections to provide surgeons with reliable and precise control of lordosis and sagittal balance.

“The SYNERGY DISC is an extremely versatile cervical disc replacement that is well suited for global markets. We are thrilled to be partnering with GM Medical, who has a strong reputation for bringing the most innovative medical devices to Asia-Pacific,” commented SDRI’s Chief Executive Officer, Devesh Menawat. “Asia-Pacific includes the fastest emerging markets in the World. GM Medical’s existing relations with top medical centers and vast experience in orthopedics will help drive adoption of the SYNERGY DISC at an accelerated rate.”

READ MORE HERE


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January 3, 2019 OrthoSpineNews

SALT LAKE CITY, Jan. 03, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — SINTX Technologies (NASDAQ: SINT) today reported the independent publication of 30-year clinical outcomes of lumbar fusion surgeries, performed with silicon nitride implants. The paper titled “Anterior Lumbar Interbody Fusion Using Reaction Bonded Silicon Nitride Implants” appeared in the December 2018 edition of the World Neurosurgery journal, and the findings were also featured at the 2018 Annual Scientific Meeting of the Neurosurgical Society of Australasia.

Dr. Ralph Mobbs from the University of New South Wales, Sydney, authored the study. Dr. Mobbs stated: “This work is of historical significance, being the first clinical study of silicon nitride as an implant material, the first commercial anterior lumbar interbody fusion with a synthetic material, the first design of a spinal interbody implant with endplate porosity to promote fusion, and the longest clinical follow-up of any implant material in spine surgery. This report clearly establishes the place of silicon nitride in the annals of spine surgery,” said Professor Mobbs.

“This work reflects the only known use of silicon nitride implants, outside the spine products manufactured by our company,” said Dr. Sonny Bal, Chairman of SINTX Technologies. “Despite a much earlier material composition and implant design, silicon nitride proved itself even three decades after spinal implantation. These findings are entirely consistent with the more modern data published by us, showing earlier fusion, excellent biocompatibility, ease of radiographic imaging, and other advantages of our silicon nitride spine implants. The SINTX formulation of silicon nitride is enhanced and improved even further with sintering agents that accelerate bioactivity and confer antibacterial advantages.”

“This paper is a compelling affirmation of our full confidence in silicon nitride as the ideal spine biomaterial platform, whether as an implant, surface coating, or composite formulation with other biomaterials. This report will support our sales objectives, as we prepare an official launch in the coming months in Australia – the first place to use silicon nitride in spinal fusion surgery,” said Daniel Chon, CEO of Dallas-based CTL-Amedica, the exclusive retail channel for silicon nitride spinal implants made by SINTX Technologies.

About SINTX Technologies

SINTX Technologies is an innovative biomaterials and OEM company that develops and commercializes silicon nitride for various biomedical applications including orthopedic, dental and arthroplasty.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 (“PSLRA”) that are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date on which they are made and reflect management’s current estimates, projections, expectations and beliefs. A discussion of those risks and uncertainties can be found in Sintx’s Risk Factors disclosure in its Annual Report on Form 10-K, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on March 29, 2018, and in Sintx’s other filings with the SEC. SINTX disclaims any obligation to update any forward-looking statements. Sintx undertakes no obligation to publicly revise or update the forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances that arise after the date of this report.

Contacts:
SINTX Technologies
801-839-3502
IR@sintx.com


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January 3, 2019 OrthoSpineNews

SAN DIEGOJan. 3, 2019 /PRNewswire/ — NuVasive, Inc. (NASDAQ: NUVA), the leader in spine technology innovation, focused on transforming spine surgery with minimally disruptive, procedurally integrated solutions, today announced a new organizational structure and associated executive team that chief executive officer (CEO) J. Christopher (Chris) Barry has selected to lead the Company’s next phase of growth and innovation. Barry joined NuVasive as CEO on November 5, 2018.

“After assessing the Company over the past two months as CEO, it is clear that NuVasive benefits from significant talent across the organization. Our new structure will enable us to better capitalize on this talent by fostering cross-functional collaboration, consolidating complementary functions and increasing accountability,” said Barry. “I am confident this leadership team and our new structure, along with disciplined execution, will better position NuVasive to fulfill our commitments to patients, surgeons, employees and shareholders, and drive NuVasive’s success and sustainable growth.”

As part of the new organizational structure, NuVasive announced the following leadership team, all of whom will report to Barry. The following changes are effective immediately:

  • Matt Link will continue to serve as president in an expanded capacity to include direct management of NuVasive Clinical Services and Global Logistics. The integration of these functions rounds out oversight of the entire product life cycle, from development to launch to service to fulfillment, which will positively impact how the sales force brings disruptive innovation to surgeons and patients.
  • Raj Asarpota will continue to serve as executive vice president and chief financial officer, and lead the Company’s Finance, Accounting, Internal Audit and Tax functions.
  • Nate Sisitsky, Esq. will continue to serve as general counsel and corporate secretary, and lead the Company’s Legal function as well as the NuVasive Spine Foundation. In addition, he will also oversee the Company’s Real Estate and Facilities function.
  • Jim Garrett, Esq., chief compliance officer and leader of the Company’s Global Risk and Integrity (GRI) function, will assume an expanded role overseeing the Business and Quality Systems functions, including GRI, Regulatory Affairs/Quality Affairs, Information Technology, and Environmental Health & Safety.
  • Lucas Vitale is named chief human resources officer, and most recently served as vice president, Human Resources and Sales Training at NuVasive. He has been with the Company for more than four years.
  • Suzanne Hatcher will continue to lead the Company’s Internal and External Affairs functions, including Investor Relations, Public Relations and Internal Communications.
  • Dale Wolf will continue to oversee the Company’s manufacturing efforts, including the facility in West Carrollton, Ohio. He will leverage his significant prior experience, with Barry’s direct oversight, to facilitate successful operational and financial execution of the Company’s self-manufacturing efforts.

NuVasive’s Global Commercial regional leaders include Paul McClintock (U.S.), Erin McEachren (Europe), Takaaki Tanaka (Japan/China) and Jim Abraham (Australia/New Zealand).

As an outcome of streamlining top layers within the Company’s new organizational structure, the positions of executive vice president, People and Culture, and executive vice president, Global Process Transformation, previously held by Pete Leddy, Ph.D. and Stephen Rozow, respectively, have been eliminated. The Company thanks Pete and Steve for their commitment and dedication to NuVasive.

To read more about NuVasive’s leadership team, please visit www.nuvasive.com and click on the About section.

About NuVasive
NuVasive, Inc. (NASDAQ: NUVA) is the leader in spine technology innovation, focused on transforming spine surgery and beyond with minimally disruptive, procedurally integrated solutions designed to deliver reproducible and clinically-proven surgical outcomes. The Company’s portfolio includes access instruments, implantable hardware, biologics, software systems for surgical planning, navigation and imaging solutions, magnetically adjustable implant systems for spine and orthopedics, and intraoperative monitoring service offerings. With over $1 billion in revenues, NuVasive has an approximate 2,400-person workforce in more than 40 countries serving surgeons, hospitals and patients. For more information, please visit  www.nuvasive.com.

Forward-Looking Statements
NuVasive cautions you that statements included in this news release that are not a description of historical facts are forward-looking statements that involve risks, uncertainties, assumptions and other factors which, if they do not materialize or prove correct, could cause NuVasive’s results to differ materially from historical results or those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. The potential risks and uncertainties which contribute to the uncertain nature of these statements include, among others, risks associated with acceptance of the Company’s surgical products and procedures by spine surgeons, development and acceptance of new products or product enhancements, clinical and statistical verification of the benefits achieved via the use of NuVasive’s products (including the iGA® platform), the Company’s ability to effectually manage inventory as it continues to release new products, its ability to recruit and retain management and key personnel, and the other risks and uncertainties described in NuVasive’s news releases and periodic filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. NuVasive’s public filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission are available at www.sec.gov. NuVasive assumes no obligation to update any forward-looking statement to reflect events or circumstances arising after the date on which it was made.

SOURCE NuVasive, Inc.

Related Links

http://www.nuvasive.com


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January 3, 2019 OrthoSpineNews

SAN DIEGOJan. 3, 2019 /PRNewswire/ — NuVasive, Inc. (NASDAQ: NUVA), the leader in spine technology innovation, focused on transforming spine surgery with minimally disruptive, procedurally integrated solutions, today announced a new organizational structure and associated executive team that chief executive officer (CEO) J. Christopher (Chris) Barry has selected to lead the Company’s next phase of growth and innovation. Barry joined NuVasive as CEO on November 5, 2018.

“After assessing the Company over the past two months as CEO, it is clear that NuVasive benefits from significant talent across the organization. Our new structure will enable us to better capitalize on this talent by fostering cross-functional collaboration, consolidating complementary functions and increasing accountability,” said Barry. “I am confident this leadership team and our new structure, along with disciplined execution, will better position NuVasive to fulfill our commitments to patients, surgeons, employees and shareholders, and drive NuVasive’s success and sustainable growth.”

As part of the new organizational structure, NuVasive announced the following leadership team, all of whom will report to Barry. The following changes are effective immediately:

  • Matt Link will continue to serve as president in an expanded capacity to include direct management of NuVasive Clinical Services and Global Logistics. The integration of these functions rounds out oversight of the entire product life cycle, from development to launch to service to fulfillment, which will positively impact how the sales force brings disruptive innovation to surgeons and patients.
  • Raj Asarpota will continue to serve as executive vice president and chief financial officer, and lead the Company’s Finance, Accounting, Internal Audit and Tax functions.
  • Nate Sisitsky, Esq. will continue to serve as general counsel and corporate secretary, and lead the Company’s Legal function as well as the NuVasive Spine Foundation. In addition, he will also oversee the Company’s Real Estate and Facilities function.
  • Jim Garrett, Esq., chief compliance officer and leader of the Company’s Global Risk and Integrity (GRI) function, will assume an expanded role overseeing the Business and Quality Systems functions, including GRI, Regulatory Affairs/Quality Affairs, Information Technology, and Environmental Health & Safety.
  • Lucas Vitale is named chief human resources officer, and most recently served as vice president, Human Resources and Sales Training at NuVasive. He has been with the Company for more than four years.
  • Suzanne Hatcher will continue to lead the Company’s Internal and External Affairs functions, including Investor Relations, Public Relations and Internal Communications.
  • Dale Wolf will continue to oversee the Company’s manufacturing efforts, including the facility in West Carrollton, Ohio. He will leverage his significant prior experience, with Barry’s direct oversight, to facilitate successful operational and financial execution of the Company’s self-manufacturing efforts.

NuVasive’s Global Commercial regional leaders include Paul McClintock (U.S.), Erin McEachren (Europe), Takaaki Tanaka (Japan/China) and Jim Abraham (Australia/New Zealand).

As an outcome of streamlining top layers within the Company’s new organizational structure, the positions of executive vice president, People and Culture, and executive vice president, Global Process Transformation, previously held by Pete Leddy, Ph.D. and Stephen Rozow, respectively, have been eliminated. The Company thanks Pete and Steve for their commitment and dedication to NuVasive.

To read more about NuVasive’s leadership team, please visit www.nuvasive.com and click on the About section.

About NuVasive
NuVasive, Inc. (NASDAQ: NUVA) is the leader in spine technology innovation, focused on transforming spine surgery and beyond with minimally disruptive, procedurally integrated solutions designed to deliver reproducible and clinically-proven surgical outcomes. The Company’s portfolio includes access instruments, implantable hardware, biologics, software systems for surgical planning, navigation and imaging solutions, magnetically adjustable implant systems for spine and orthopedics, and intraoperative monitoring service offerings. With over $1 billion in revenues, NuVasive has an approximate 2,400-person workforce in more than 40 countries serving surgeons, hospitals and patients. For more information, please visit  www.nuvasive.com.

Forward-Looking Statements
NuVasive cautions you that statements included in this news release that are not a description of historical facts are forward-looking statements that involve risks, uncertainties, assumptions and other factors which, if they do not materialize or prove correct, could cause NuVasive’s results to differ materially from historical results or those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. The potential risks and uncertainties which contribute to the uncertain nature of these statements include, among others, risks associated with acceptance of the Company’s surgical products and procedures by spine surgeons, development and acceptance of new products or product enhancements, clinical and statistical verification of the benefits achieved via the use of NuVasive’s products (including the iGA® platform), the Company’s ability to effectually manage inventory as it continues to release new products, its ability to recruit and retain management and key personnel, and the other risks and uncertainties described in NuVasive’s news releases and periodic filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. NuVasive’s public filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission are available at www.sec.gov. NuVasive assumes no obligation to update any forward-looking statement to reflect events or circumstances arising after the date on which it was made.

SOURCE NuVasive, Inc.

Related Links

http://www.nuvasive.com


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December 26, 2018 OrthoSpineNews

12-26-2018 / Kain, Zeev

I’m excited to announce the 3rd Interdisciplinary Conference on Orthopedic Value based Care taking place on January 18-20, 2018 in beautiful Newport Beach, California. We’ve planned this conference to be even better than last 2 years highly-rated event!

Here’s five reasons it should be on your to-do list:

  1. One Unique Team Concept

The mission of this conference is to break the silos that exist in a patient’s orthopaedic journey. This is the only conference that brings in speakers that represent players from across the episode: orthopedic surgeons, nurses, physical therapists, healthcare executives, anesthesiologists, patients, digital health experts and futurists. In the same vein, we expect surgical teams to attend and take this opportunity to learn from each other and work toward better patient outcomes together. This worked well at last year’s conference where 40% of the participants were part of a hospital team.

  1. Two Innovative Cadaveric Workshops
    On Friday there are 2 cadaveric workshops that will focus on innovative surgical orthopedic procedures and US based regional anesthesia. Plenty of opportunity to experience new devices and surgical techniques as well the most innovative regional anesthesia techniques.
  2. Three Ambulatory Boot Camps
    Orthopedic spines are heading to the outpatient area and we need to get ready. The first bootcamp will focus on the concept of fee for value in the ambulatory environment and will include practical approaches aught by all the stakeholders. The second bootcamp will focus on the nuts and bolts of building and maintaining an Orthopaedic ambulatory center and the third book camp will focus on building an enhanced recovery model for the patients who are undergoing ambulatory surgery.
  1. Four Complementary Tracks
    To be successful in the world of fee-for-value, one needs to understand all the clinical, financial and operational aspects of this new developing world. This is the ONLY conference that offer three complementary parallel tracks that the various stakeholders can attend! We choose the 4th track, ambulatory, to be held on Friday with no other programing at the same time because of the high interest in this concept.
  2. Five Times the Networking
    Each day offers four opportunities for networking, including breakfast, lunch and two breaks for exchanging best practices and comparing notes. Plus, a free meet and greet wine networking reception on Saturday night will offer a relaxed atmosphere to share insights from day one.

  3. A Six-Star Speaker Lineup
    The agenda has 38 world-class, interdisciplinary speakers. Ortho experts include speakers such as Alexander R. Vaccaro, President and Surgeon-in-Chief at Rothman Institute Orthopedics; Joseph Iannotti, Chair at Cleveland Clinic, Kevin Bozic, Chair at Dell School of Medicine and Tony Romeo from the Rothman Institute of New York. The Executive leaders include individuals such as the CMO of Humana, CMO of Optum, COO of Rothman, Vice Chancellor of UC Davis and others.

Register today!


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December 18, 2018 OrthoSpineNews

Lots is happening in the healthcare area and it’s clear that the orthopaedic fee-for-value space will continue to evolve in 2019. Here are some insights from three speakers the 3rd Interdisciplinary Conference on Orthopedic Value based Care taking place on January 18-20, 2018 in beautiful Newport Beach, California.

Alexander R. Vaccaro, MD, PhD, MBA

Richard H. Rothman Professor and Chairman of Orthopedic Surgery

President, Rothman Orthopedic Institute

  • Can you share your best advice for motivating your teams?

Make sure they clearly understand goals and objective of any initiatives and have the opportunity for feedback and buy in. Show that you care about them and their opinions, be humble, celebrate/ recognize/ reward small and large wins, roll up your sleeves.

  • How do you break the silos in your organization?

Communicate , Communicate, Communicate. Reward the Mngt team based on team goals/ targets so that it incentives to work “across lines/ departments”. Have each leader “walk in the other’s shoes” so they get a better understanding of the position, responsibilities, problems / issues, work product. Constantly motivate, meet as a leadership team often, teak the team to dinner/ drinks – get to   know each other personally.

  • OP Surgery is moving to the outpatient area; how do you get ready for it?

Develop OP ASC’s (we now have 8 – and will got up to 12-14 with Northern Jersey and NY). Larger OR’s and PACU bays ; risk assessment all patients for appropriateness of care, visit existing ASC’s that are performing Spine/ Joints on an OP basis. Define specific criteria for cases qualifying for OP ASC. Ensure that the OR’s are big enough.

 

AnnMargaret McCraw

Chief Executive Officer

Midlands Orthopaedics & Neurosurgery, PA

   What’s the best thing you’ve read lately?

The Ideal Team Player by Patrick Lencioni | What Customers Crave by Nicholas Webb | Start With Why by Simon Sinek (not a recent read, but my “go-to” leadership philosophy)

   How do you promote innovation within your organization? 

Promoting innovation is easier to do when you’re the only private ortho-neuro group left in your MSA of 750,000 people, and you’re surrounded by 45 hospital-employed orthopaedists and 11 hospital-employed neurosurgeons – our survival literally depends on it. We first disrupted our market in 2012 when BCBS SC began to cover outpatient joint replacements in our ASC. Soon after, we began adding spine procedures. The average cost-savings is 15k-$40k per total joint replacement based on the average claims paid by BCBS SC to 3 hospital systems in the area per their own Treatment Cost Estimator. This distinction as the lowest cost surgical provider for complex ortho/spine procedures coupled with excellent outcomes has become our identity. Of course, once you have disrupted a market, you must continue to innovate or be disrupted by the competitors who are always nipping at your heels. To continue thriving, the innovation cycle must become part of the organization’s culture.

   In the past 12 months, how have you adapted to new patient experience expectations in the age of consumerism? 

What Customers Crave by Nicholas Webb is a great resource for this issue. In the previous 12 months, we have focused on reducing the amount of information we’re collecting at the front desk to enhance the intake process; we have initiated an internalPAINLESS (Patients are in Need. Lead Employees Share Solutions.) campaign; and we are in the process of implementing a scheduling platform that will allow patients to self-schedule via an app by Q4 2018.

 

Scott Sigman, MD

Orthopedic Surgery

National Leader in Opioid Sparing Orthopedic Surgery

Orthopedic Surgical Associates

  How Do You Break Silos In Your Organization?

Specifically, within orthopedics with the use of more expensive non-opioid medications, we found that pharmacy silos give us severe limitation in the ability to use these medications at a number of hospitals across the country.  Our focus has been to try and carve out the use of these medications, so that insurance companies will pay for these medications outside of the typical DRG or payment for an individual surgery.  We did this specifically by lobbying congress as well as CMS, both in person in Washington, D.C. as well as through letter writing campaigns.  We were fortunate to hear that as of January 1st some of these changes will be implemented going forwards through CMS.

  In the past 12 months, how have you adapted to new patient experience expectations in the age of consumerism?

I am a huge believer in social media.  I have postings on Linkedin for my business

friends.  I am also on Facebook for my older population of patients as well as  Instagram for my younger population of patients.  I remain connected with my patients.  With these avenues, we can express the latest state of the art techniques that we are performing and in engaging patients directly, we have found that we have great success.

  Surgeries moving to the outpatient area.  How do you get ready for it?

This has been the natural progression for us in the opioid sparing space. We are now successfully operating on patients near opioid free, which opens up the realm of possibility for outpatient surgery for even more extensive operations such as  total hip and knee replacements as well as outpatient spine surgery.  The patient expectations as well as patient selection I think are paramount to make sure that you have the best chance of success for patient experience.

 

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December 18, 2018 OrthoSpineNews

Largo, FL – VGI Medical is dedicated to creating the next generation of spinal implants and procedures to improve the quality of life for its patients. One of the disruptive technologies, SiJoin, that has been developed by VGI Medical has achieved a significant milestone of over 5,000 implants used in more than 1,750 surgical procedures throughout the United States.

The sacroiliac (SI) joint is well documented as a potential source for lower back pain (LBP) and it is estimated that SI joint pain affects 15-25% of patients suffering from LBP. A number of publications have found that SI joint degeneration is present in patients who had previously undergone lumbar fusion surgery and pregnancy related pelvic instability is a common and disabling problem.

SiJoin offers significant clinical advantages to the other technologies currently on the market such as:

  • Tried and True Fusion – The SiJoin procedure utilizes a tried and true method for achieving joint fusion by preparing the joint (decortication), stabilizing the joint via cortical allograft implants, and using bone graft material to enhance  fusion across the joint
  • Less risk – Compared to lateral based SI joint methods, the SiJoin procedure minimizes the risk of the neural complications due to the direct posterior approach
  • Flexibility – The surgeon can choose to use a minimally invasive surgery (MIS), mini-open, or an open approach all while allowing for direct visualization of the SI joint
  • Biomechanics – Biomechanical stabilization of SiJoin is equivalent to lateral rod systems by taking advantage of the “lever arm” concept
  • Revision – Due to its unique design and approach, SiJoin can be used to revise other SI joint fusion procedures
  • Economic advantages – Due to the straight forward and lean business model employed by VGI Medical, SiJoin offers significant advantages to the facility (Acute, Outpatient and ASC) compared to the competition.

VGI Medical was founded in 2007 based on an invention developed by Tov Vestgaarden, PhD. It has become a leader in bringing innovation to the market including VerteLoc, CerLoc, SiJoin and VerteLP. The VerteLoc and CerLoc systems are specifically designed to stabilize and fuse the facet joint by utilizing a unique patented dual geometric design to limit motion of the affected spinal segment. Applying the principles of this success, VGI Medical added SiJoin for Sacroiliac Fusion. VerteLP is one of the latest innovations offering an improved implant for lateral procedures featuring its proprietary Talon Technology.

“ While it is exciting to achieve the 5,000 implant milestone, of greater importance is the number of successful patient outcomes we have seen with SiJoin. It is especially rewarding to see the satisfaction of our surgeon customers and their patients after a successful SiJoin procedure. This milestone demonstrates that SiJoin is the ideal solution for both primary and revision SI cases.” said Tov Vestgaarden, founder and CEO of VGI Medical.

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About VGI Medical

VGI Medical is a disruptive force in the spinal implant industry by creating four unique technologies specifically designed to enhance patient outcomes and improve the overall surgeon experience. Our calling is to provide the ideal solution to each clinical challenge faced with the existing technologies on the market today. With over 12,500 implants used since our inception, our implants and instruments have been thoroughly tested with exceptional results.