Becker's Spine Review

28 DEVICES & IMPLANTS 'Smart knees' to become as prevalent as robotics in orthopedics, analysts predict By Alan Condon "Smart" knee implants have only just entered the medtech industry, but BTIG analysts predict they will "become ubiquitous within orthopedics, much like robotics," Medical Device & Diagnostic Industry reported July 6. Five things to know: 1. Smart implants provide personalized data that can be used to optimize outcomes for patients. Implantable sensors can be used for measuring parameters such as force, torque and pressure. 2. Zimmer Biomet's Persona IQ smart knee implant enables better remote monitoring, tracking steps, range of motion and other metrics for patients and physicians, which could contribute to improved clinical outcomes. Canary Medical is working to incorporate predictive analytics into the technology. 3. As more patients receive the smart implant, it has the potential to gather a vast amount of data on gait metrics post-knee replacement. Orthopedic researchers will be able to use data analytics and machine learning to translate that information into evidence-based recommendations to improve patient care. 4. Persona IQ is designed to upload data from the smart knee implant to the cloud, but this can be challenging because elderly patients do not always have internet connectivity or a computer, according to the report. However, once established, the data allows surgeons to track patients' parameters for longer periods aer surgery. 5. Zimmer Biomet CEO Bryan Hanson said he expects "Persona IQ will be the first in a broader portfolio of smart implant technologies in various orthopedic surgery applications." n Spine company agrees to $1M settlement for surgeon kickback charges By Alan Condon R eliance Medical Systems, its owners and two of its physician-owned distributorships will pay a $1 million settlement to settle allegations they violated the False Claims Act by paying spine surgeons to use Reliance devices. The spine company allegedly used the physician- owned distributorships as "vehicles for the payment of kickbacks" to entice spine surgeons to use Reliance devices, the Justice Department said in a July 1 news release. Prosecutors argue the physician-owned distributorships paid physicians based on their referrals, made false statements to providers and fired physicians who did not refer enough patients. Reliance Medical's owners, Bret Berry and Adam Pike, were allegedly recorded trying to induce a spine surgeon to join Kronos Spinal Technologies — one of the company's physician-owned distributorships — by offering to pay him a share of the profits he generated for Kronos after he proved his "loyalty," according to the Justice Department. The settlement is the latest in a series of settlements with people affiliated with Reliance Medical. The Justice Department said it previously recovered more than $9.25 million from owners of Reliance's physician- owned distributorships. n ZimVie's pediatric scoliosis device gets coverage by Anthem BCBS By Carly Behm Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield will cover ZimVie's Tether device to treat pediatric scoliosis. The insurer's positive medical policy decision applies to anterior vertebral body tethering and went into effect July 6, according to a July 12 news release from ZimVie. ZimVie's Tether device is the only FDA-approved device for AVBT and is a non-fusion device, More than 1,200 children have received the device since August 2019, and about 50 surgeons perform the procedure. "Before the development of anterior vertebral body tethering, the primary surgical option for children with scoliosis was a spinal fusion with rigid rods that could limit mobility," said Rebecca Whitney, president of ZimVie's spine unit and senior vice president of the devicemaker. "The coverage decision from Anthem will provide children with greater access to AVBT as a motion preserving alternative that may allow them to return to their active daily lives." n

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