3 stories this morning, for surgeons and the people who support them.
- Youngstown Orthopaedic Associates joins Cleveland Clinic November 1 while Southwoods Health sues two of its surgeon-shareholders over a 30-mile non-compete — The practice's October 16, 2026 release says it joins Cleveland Clinic effective November 1: Poland and Warren/Howland offices become Cleveland Clinic outpatient centers, Boardman stays open for imaging as Ortho Express Care, and Dr. James Solmen retires October 31. Becker's (https://www.beckersspine.com/?p=77353) reports Southwoods Health sued shareholders Drs. David Weimer and James Jamison on October 1 in Mahoning County Common Pleas Court under a 30-mile, two-year non-compete (90-92% of Southwoods volume from that radius); Business Journal Daily (https://businessjournaldaily.com/youngstown-orthopaedic-will-join-cleveland-clinic-in-november/, October 19) reports a magistrate approved a TRO barring them from any letter of intent with Cleveland Clinic while they hold Southwoods ownership. Source
- TLC BioSciences' TLC590, an extended-release ropivacaine, beats placebo and liposomal bupivacaine on 72-hour pain and opioid use in a 304-patient Phase 3 bunionectomy trial — October 19, 2026 GlobeNewswire release: randomized 1:1:1 (TLC590 100, liposomal bupivacaine 102, placebo 102); primary endpoint NRS-M AUC0-72h vs placebo met (p=0.0024); vs liposomal bupivacaine p=0.0202 for 72-hour pain and p=0.0177 for rescue opioids; pain separation held to 168 hours; no drug-related SAEs; NDA in preparation, no timing. Effect sizes and comparator dose not disclosed. Trial design and 304 actual enrollment confirmed on ClinicalTrials.gov NCT07222748 (https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT07222748). Source
- Spine J, Virginia Mason: prone and lateral-decubitus single-level L4-5 LLIF cost about the same intraoperatively, but supply mix differs and biologic share ranged from about 5% to 19% across three surgeons — Retrospective single-center cohort of 78 cases (32 lateral decubitus, 46 prone), published online October 18, 2026 (PMID 42893774). Total intraoperative cost $17,206 prone vs $16,404 lateral (p=0.462), staff cost no different; lateral had higher cost share for interbody, screws, biologics and retractors, prone for neuromonitoring and positioning; biologic share varied most between surgeons and was higher in lateral cases within surgeons. Globus previewed an XLIF prone solution for NASS 2026 (https://thespinemarketgroup.com/globus-medical-to-showcase-script-patient-specific-implants-and-new-xlif-prone-procedural-solution-at-nass-2026/). Source
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