Surgery/Specialties During spinal surgery, it is sometimes necessary to implant and then remove, or explant, instrumentation in the same procedure. Explantation occurs when an implanted plate or spacer does not fit, or implanted screws are too loose or too short. Explanted instrumentation cannot be reused and must be discarded, adding to…
A new hip or knee implant comes on the market. Surgeons would like to start using it. But the cost is higher than current implants the hospital is using. Will it offer better outcomes for patients? The answer has been hard to come by. If there is outcomes data, it…
Use of bone morphogenic protein (BMP) has risen sharply in the past decade, adding costs without evidence of better outcomes, according to a study in the February 2012 issue of Spine. BMP use rose rapidly, from 5.5% of lumbar fusions in 2003 to nearly a third (28.1%) of procedures in…
Cataract surgery, almost exclusively outpatient, can have a serious complication if instruments retain a chemical residue after cleaning. It is known as TASS, for toxic anterior segment syndrome. Ophthalmologists say it is rare, but there are no consistent data to indicate when, where, and how often TASS occurs. The Food…
Negotiating with orthopedic vendors can be frustrating as OR leaders strive to balance competing agendas among companies, surgeons, and the hospital. Kimberley Murray, MS, RN, CNOR, administrator for the orthopedic and spine service line at St. Joseph’s Hospital (SJH) in Syracuse, New York, reduced frustration by adopting a program that…
A leading spine journal is casting a critical eye on industry-supported research that has led to widespread use of Medtronic's controversial bone growth product Infuse. The June 2011 issue of Spine Journal carries a strongly worded editorial about the trial designs, reporting bias, and peer review shortfalls that the authors…
Anew risk calculator allows surgeons to model and predict the risk of complications for individual patients after bariatric surgery, a new study reports. Available free online, the risk calculator will aid in surgical decision making and help patients better prepare for their surgery by understanding the true risks and benefits,…
Some 40% of patients scheduled for orthopedic surgery have low levels of vitamin D that may negatively affect outcomes, a new study finds. Vitamin D helps the body absorb calcium and is essential for optimal bone health and muscle function. Researchers from New York City's Hospital for Special Surgery retrospectively…
Over the 8 years from 2001 to 2009, the cost of a lumbar spinal fusion with implants rose from under $6,000 to over $14,000 per case, with a small decline of 2% between 2008 and 2009. This was the second year in a row that the implant cost per case…
Editor's Note APRIL 2010 OR leaders are striving to make evidence-based decisions about new technology. OR Manager, Inc, and ECRI Institute have joined in a collaboration to bring quarterly supplements with summaries of the Institute's technology assessment reports to OR Manager readers. ECRI Institute is an independent nonprofit organization that…
