Here are three spine and orthopedic studies to know:
Note: This article was updated May 26.
1. After adjusting for inflation, reimbursements for cervical disc replacement have fallen 12.9 percent between 2009 and 2021, according to an analysis in the International Journal of Spine Surgery. Cervical disc replacements jumped 183 percent from 2007 to 2017, and Medicare beneficiary utilization increasing 149 percent. Inflation-adjusted hospital charges for cervical disc replacement grew 22.4 percent, and inflation-adjusted Medicare reimbursement fell 1.2 percent per year. In 2009 reimbursement for the procedure was $1,928, and in 2021 it was $1,679.
2. Amplify Surgical saw positive results in a clinical study for its DualPortal endoscopic technique. Researchers analyzed 3,673 cases that used the technique for decompressions, discectomies and transforaminal lumbar interbody fusions. The study concluded dualPortal was safe and had favorable outcomes and a low complication profile. The investigators anticipated a greater demand for dualPortal surgeries from physicians and patients.
3. Creative Medical Technology Holdings' StemSpine procedure was found to be effective in treating chronic lower back pain, according to a pilot study. The StemSpine procedure uses AlloStem, which creates cells from a patient's own bone marrow. The study found the StemSpine procedure led to a 90 percent or greater reduction in narcotics usage, a more than 80 percent reduction in pain score and more than 50 percent reduction in the Oswestry Score.