Surgeons' ties to device manufacturers under investigation

The US Justice Department is investigating the financial ties between orthopaedic surgeons and companies that sell medical devices. Some leading surgical device manufacturers last week said that they had received subpoenas from the department requesting extensive details about their payments to surgeons.

According to the companies that received them, the subpoenas asked for any and all consulting contracts, professional service agreements, or remuneration agreements with surgeons, trainee surgeons, or medical school graduates who use hip or knee …