ODT’s Most-Read Stories This Week—Sept. 28

ODT website visitors’ favorite was back this week. Literally.

Spine-related news and features garnered significant pageviews, from Theragen’s new patient insights portal and North American Spine Society (NASS) briefings, to a full-fledged feature on the spine market. 

ActaStim Bone Growth Stimulator System manufacturer Theragen enticed ODT readers by launch its new ActaStim Patient Insights Portal, which gives spine surgeons and clinicians the ability to remotely monitor their patients’ recovery progress, helping guide them to a successful fusion. Using built-in device sensors, the ActaStim algorithm monitors changes in daily activity and detects shifts in a patient’s recovery progress. 

Orthofix proved popular for sharing new data supporting use of its Pulsed Electromagnetic Field (PEMF) stimulation to boost fusion rates as an adjunct to lumbar spine fusion surgery. The company presented the data at NASS’s 2024 Annual Meeting in Chicago. Patients treated with its SpinalStim bone growth therapy device showed a high rate of successful fusion with improvements in pain, function, and quality of life, despite risk factors for pseudoarthrosis, according to Orthofix. During the meeting, Orthofix also showcased new products including its OsteoStrand Plus C 100% bone-derived graft, made of demineralized bone matrix fibers and Accell bone matrix.

Non-spine-related traffic drivers included an in-depth look at orthopedic device testing, and a potentially more effective osteoporosis treatment (the latter of which was the top favorite). A recent study published in June in Frontiers in Artificial Intelligence, unveiled a deep neural network (DNN) model for early osteoporosis diagnosis. This artificial intelligence (AI) model—developed to address the limitations of existing methods—offers higher accuracy in predicting fracture risk among aging populations and could herald a new era in osteoporosis management, experts claim.

1. New AI Model Could Transform Osteoporosis Management

2. Theragen Launches New ActaStim Patient Insights Portal for Healthcare Professionals

3. Intelligent Testing for Orthopedic Devices & Implants

4. The Way Back: A Report on Spine Technologies

5. NASS News: Orthofix to Present Data Backing Bone Growth Therapy for Lumbar Spine Fusion