American Medical Association Establishes Unique CPT Codes for Percutaneous Intradiscal Electrothermal Annuloplasty
New Codes Distinguish the IDET™ Procedure from Other Therapies and will Facilitate Appropriate Physician and Hospital Reimbursement
ANDOVER, Mass., OCTOBER 31, 2006 — Smith & Nephew’s (NYSE:SNN; LSE: SN) Endoscopy division announced today that the American Medical Association (AMA) has created two new Category I Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) codes that will describe the company’s Intradiscal ELECTROTHERMAL™ Therapy (IDET) procedure. The new codes will become effective January 1, 2007.
VIDEO: Dr. David Kloth discusses back pain conditions and treatment options during a Health and Home Report interview.
NOTE - Firefox and Macintosh users: right-click on the link below and save the file to your Desktop.
Qualitive Review of Chronic Lower Back Pain Clinical Studies Finds Minimally Invasive Procedure Spares Patients from Spine Surgery
ANDOVER, Mass., Aug. 16, 2006 — A systematic literature review of outcomes from 51 clinical studies and case series finds that the Intradiscal ELECTROTHERMAL™ Therapy (IDET™) procedure would spare up to 65 percent of patients with chronic lower back pain from spinal fusion surgery. In addition, the study also found that IDET patients experienced similar outcome benefits when compared against spinal fusion. The study is published in the July issue of Pain Physician, the official journal of the American Society of Interventional Pain Physicians (ASIPP).
Clinical Review of Minimally Invasive IDET™ Procedure Demonstrates Significant Decrease in Lower Back Pain
Meta-Analysis of 17 Published Studies Proves Procedure Effective and Safe
ANDOVER, Mass., Aug. 16, 2006 — Study authors Dr. Gunnar B.J. Andersson, professor and chairman of orthopedic surgery, Rush-Presbyterian-St. Luke’s Medical Center, Chicago, and Dr. Michael Totta, physiatrist of the Spine Center at Orthopedic Associates of Portland in Portland, Maine, systematically synthesized all peer-reviewed published literature describing outcomes following the IDET procedure involving more than 500 patients. The majority of clinical studies reported outcomes assessed from six to 24-months post-treatment.
IDET procedure explained in Hartford TV report
The IDET procedure is featured in a story on WTNH-TV ABC in
Hartford, Conn. regarding less invasive treatments for back pain.
National Survey Reveals Lower Back Pain Suffers Would Give Up Sex to LIve without Pain
Back Pain Puts Strain on Personal Relationships and Work Productivity for Millions of Americans
PADUCAH, Ky., July 6, 2006 ─ A national survey of lower back pain sufferers revealed today that more than half (56 percent) would rather abstain from sex for six months if it meant a break from the pain. Developed by the American Society of Interventional Pain Physicians (ASIPP) and Smith & Nephew Endoscopy, the manufacturers of the Intradiscal ELECTROTHERMAL ™ Therapy (IDET ™ ) procedure, the survey also shows that personal relationships and work productivity are severely or substantially impacted for over one-third of respondents.
Physician Panel Sees Bias Toward More Invasive Fusion Surgery over Less Invasive and Less Expensive Options for Chronic Lower Back Pain
PADUCAH, Ky., Feb. 23, 2006 ― Insurance companies favor fusion surgery over back pain management therapies, according to a recent panel of orthopedic surgeons, interventional radiologists, physiatrists, and pain management specialists from leading academic centers nationwide. Yet fusion surgery is often more than ten times costlier than other methods of managing chronic discogenic lower back pain 1. The panel discussed and examined pain management strategies from medical specialties that routinely work with patients suffering from chronic lower back pain.
Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Increases IDET* Procedure Reimbursement Level Over 130 Percent
ANDOVER, Mass., Dec. 20, 2005 — The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) is increasing reimbursement for the Intradiscal ELECTROTHERMAL*(IDET*) Annuloplasty procedure and placing it in a more appropriate Ambulatory Payment Classification (APC). The IDET procedure is a minimally-invasive outpatient procedure that treats spinal discs, and is for patients suffering from chronic discogenic lower back pain.