Medtronic to pay $75M to settle Kyphon suit Oct 24, 2008
-based medical device maker Medtronic (NYSE: MDT) said in a release that the government alleged that spinal catheter maker had fraudulently made hospitals file inflated claims for reimbursement with Medicare for a back surgery procedure called kyphoplasty. Kyphon was acquired by Medtronic in November 2007 for $3. (Memphis Business Journal, TN)
Whistle Blown On Medicare Scam Aug 9, 2008
The procedure, called kyphoplasty, can be done in about an hour without putting the patient to sleep ... As an outpatient procedure, Medicare would pay about $1,000 for kyphoplasty ... That top lawyer who Patrick says told him to keep quiet reportedly received $14 million cash, which goes to show that kyphoplasty was good for patients and corporate executives, but it was taxpayers left feeling the pain. (CBS News)
S.C. Orthopaedic Institute: High-tech, high quality orthopedics in Orangeburg Aug 5, 2008
A graduate of the spine surgery fellowship program at the Texas Back Institute in Plano, Texas, Craig specializes in degenerative disorders of the spine and has had success with an innovative procedure called kyphoplasty in which the surgeon injects a special type of cement into the spine to fix injuries and defects. Craig is quick to point out that not all back injuries require surgery. (Orangeburg Times and Democrat, SC)
Having a Mother with Osteoporosis Can Lead to Increased Risk for Spinal Fracture Jul 3, 2008
When Turner experienced her spinal fracture, her primary care physician referred her to orthopaedic surgeon Dr. Edward Pratt* of the Memphis Spine Center, who treated her spinal fracture with balloon kyphoplasty. Balloon kyphoplasty is a minimally invasive procedure that can reduce back pain and correct the deformity caused by a spinal fracture ... She again had her fracture repaired with balloon kyphoplasty and now exercises regularly and takes prescription drugs and calcium supplements to... (Canton Daily Ledger, IL)
$75m settles allegation of Medicare fraud May 23, 2008
The alleged fraud involved kyphoplasty, in which spinal gaps are filled with bone cement ... "A big inpatient price tag allowed Kyphon to make thousands of dollars each time it sold a kyphoplasty kit," Cohen said in a statement. (Boston Globe)
Hospital touts new treatment May 6, 2008
Kyphoplasty was one of a few innovative spinal surgical procedures highlighted during a Monday morning press conference held in the Bingham Memorial parking lot ... Media were not allowed inside the Medtronic semi, but Shelley provided demonstrations of Kyphoplasty using a vertebra disc model ... Kyphoplasty is performed by guiding a hollow instrument tipped with an orthopaedic balloon into the damaged vertebra disc. (Pocatello Idaho State Journal, ID)
Community Calendar Feb 21, 2008
Kyphoplasty, a treatment for repairing some types of spine fractures, will be discussed at a free seminar hosted by Neurosurgeon Gregory Rubino, MD, with Lake Charles Memorial Hospital. The seminar will take place at Memorial on Oak Park Boulevard on Thursday, February 28th at 12 noon. (Sulphur Southwest Daily News, LA)
Testing Treatment to Help Pain from Spinal Cancer Jan 15, 2008
Doctors normally use the process called kyphoplasty to treat osteoporosis or softening of the bone. However, Browns team is testing the process in patients who have spinal tumors or cancer which has invaded the spine. (WOKR13 Rochester)
Constant painScientists hope to end the misery of severe osteoporosis Dec 20, 2007
VERTEBROPLASTY/KYPHOPLASTY Minimally invasive procedures performed to treat compression fractures of the vertebrae bones of the spine In both cases a needle is inserted into the broken bone In vertebroplasty, bone cement is injected into the fractured area In kyphoplasty, a balloon is first inserted and inflated to expand the compressed vertebra to its normal height before filling the space with bone cement The cement-strengthened vertebra should cut pain, prevent further fractures, and allow... (BBC News -- Health)
MRH in state’s top 10 for orthopedics Oct 31, 2007
Maury Regional Hospital offers a wide array of orthopedic services, from outpatient procedures to total joint replacement, including minimally invasive partial knee replacement, kyphoplasty, and anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction. The team of board-certified orthopedic surgeons on the medical staff has more than 100 years of combined experience performing orthopedic repairs and joint replacement surgeries. (Columbia Daily Herald, TN)
Medtronic to Buy Kyphon for $3.9 Billion Jul 30, 2007
8 million, makes medical devices for orthopedic applications using a technique called balloon kyphoplasty. In the minimally invasive, orthopedic treatment, a balloon is used to raise a collapsed vertebra to create a void for bone cement. (SmartMoney)
Millennium Research Group Analyst Available to Comment on the Impact of the Kyphon Acquisition to the Medical Device Industry Jul 28, 2007
"This acquisition comes on the heels of the recent FDA approval for Medtronic's Prestige cervical disk," says Melicent Lavers, Manager of Orthopedics at MRG. "Adding Kyphon's Kyphoplasty and X-Stop products to its portfolio highlights the company's commitment to being a full-service provider of spinal treatments." MRG's team of skilled spine market analysts is available to comment on: -- Market intelligence related to Kyphon and Medtronic -- Potential synergies between the two companies -- How... (PR Newswire)
Smith & Nephew, Teknimed to distribute spinal fracture solution May 16, 2007
SPINE FIX is a self-hardening bone cement that is injected into the vertebrae through a vertebroplasty or kyphoplasty, a minimally invasive procedure. The cement is used to treat compression fractures in the spine. (Memphis Business Journal, TN)
A Golden Age For Medicine May 8, 2007
() It has developed a minimally invasive surgical procedure called balloon kyphoplasty to repair spinal fractures caused by osteoporosis or cancer ... Its balloon kyphoplasty is the only balloon-based product on the market that can repair spinal fractures, the firm says. (Investors Business Daily)
Albany runner approaches milestone May 4, 2007
Cammack underwent an extensive recovery, including kyphoplasty, which involves injecting a bone cement into the vertebrae to fill in and strengthen the cracked vertebrae. Once again, he slowly got back into his running routine and by last fall was back at full strength, putting in 40 to 50 miles a week. (Albany Democrat-Herald, OR)
Kyphon Closes Acquisition of St. Francis Medical Technologies Jan 19, 2007
The transaction broadens Kyphon's focus in minimally invasive spine by adding the X-STOP(R) technology platform to its existing KyphX(R) balloon kyphoplasty technologies for repairing vertebral compression fractures and its recently launched Functional Anaesthetic Discography(TM) procedure for diagnosing the source of low back pain ... The company's products are used in balloon kyphoplasty for the treatment of spinal fractures caused by osteoporosis or cancer, in the Functional Anaesthetic... (PR Newswire)
