National and Location-Specific Medicare Physician Fee Reimbursement Trends in Urologic Oncology from 2002-2024.

Introduction: In recent years, Medicare physician reimbursement has been a target for national healthcare spending adjustments, but detailed national and location-specific trends in urologic oncology are lacking. This study investigated reimbursement trends over the past two decades.

Methods: The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Physician Fee Schedule Look-Up Tool was used to extract physician reimbursement data for urologic oncology procedures from 2002 to 2024.

Erosion of embolization coil into the renal collecting system: Retrograde fragmentation of stone and coil via thulium laser lithotripsy.

A 50-year-old female developed kidney stones on an eroded embolization coil 16 months after percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL) related bleeding complications. Retrograde ureteroscopy and thulium laser lithotripsy was performed to fragment the exposed portion of the coil into clinically insignificant pieces. Thulium laser coil fragmentation remains a potential strategy to remove eroded coils and their associated kidney stones; however, recurrent stone formation on the coil stump may necessitate repeat intervention if this conservative approach is pursued over radical antegrade coil removal.

Risk factors for postoperative blood transfusion after shoulder arthroplasty.

Purpose: To identify the effect of surgical indication, patient factors, and perioperative characteristics on transfusion after shoulder arthroplasty (SA).

Methods: Shoulder arthroplasties for osteoarthritis (OA) ( = 47), rotator cuff arthropathy (RCA) ( = 50), fracture ( = 76), revision ( = 66), and periprosthetic joint infection (PJI) ( = 35) performed at a single institution during a 6-year period were included. All other indications were excluded.

Factors Associated With Elevated Inflammatory Markers Prior to Shoulder Arthroplasty.

: Preoperative erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) and C-reactive protein (CRP) ranges for several shoulder arthroplasty indications are not well understood. : We sought to compare preoperative ESR and CRP values for a variety of shoulder arthroplasty indications and evaluate risk factors for elevated preoperative ESR and CRP values. : We conducted a retrospective cohort study of shoulder arthroplasty cases performed at a single academic medical institution from 2013 to 2018.

The effect of patient factors on opioid use after anatomic and reverse shoulder arthroplasty.

Background: Prolonged opioid use can lead to suboptimal outcomes after total shoulder arthroplasty (TSA), and thus, reduced consumption is desirable. Our primary aims were to determine if differences in total morphine equivalent doses existed owing to (1) age less than or greater than 65 years, (2) sex, and (3) TSA type - reverse or anatomic total shoulder arthroplasty. We also characterized potential risk factors for (1) visiting another provider for pain, (2) pain control 6 weeks postoperatively, and (3) needing an opioid refill.

Declining trends in Medicare physician reimbursements for shoulder surgery from 2002 to 2018.

Background: As the current health care system evolves toward cost-containment and value-based approaches, evaluating trends in physician reimbursements will be critical for assessing and ensuring the financial stability of shoulder surgery as a subspecialty.

Methods: The Medicare Physician Fee Schedule Look-up Tool was used to retrieve average reimbursement rates for 39 shoulder surgical procedures (arthroscopy with or without repair, arthroplasty, acromioclavicular or clavicular open reduction-internal fixation, fixation for proximal humeral fracture and/or shoulder dislocation, open rotator cuff repair or tendon release and/or repair, and open shoulder stabilization) from 2002 to 2018. All reimbursement data were adjusted for inflation to 2018 dollars.