Orthopaedics | Penn Medicine In the News

Osteo…huh?

Katie Delach — Wed, 12 Jun 2013 14:12:46 +0000

Doctors search for new ways to solve the puzzle of a rare bone cancer Zach Sobiech (Image courtesy of YouTube) Recently, the world watched as 18-year-old Zach Sobiech transformed from a high school student living with cancer, to a rock star, living his dream of recording music and embracing his final days with friends and family. Zach lost his battle to a rare form of cancer on May...

Giving New Life to Dead Bones

Katie Delach — Fri, 14 Dec 2012 18:46:06 +0000

Scott Tintle, MD, fellow in the department of Orthopaedic Surgery, examines patient Adam Segal's progress at a recent follow-up appointment According to the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, more than 285,000 total hip replacements are performed each year in the United States. Since 1960, improvements in joint replacement techniques have greatly increased the effectiveness of...

The Division of Orthopaedic Trauma Welcomes Derek J. Donegan, MD

Penn Medicine — Tue, 09 Oct 2012 16:13:00 +0000

Derek J. Donegan, MD, joins the division of orthopaedic trauma, in the department of orthopaedic surgery, as an assistant professor at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania and the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. Dr. Donegan received his medical degree from Jefferson Medical College. He completed an orthopaedic surgery residency at the University of...

The Division of Orthopaedic Surgery Welcomes Andrew F. Kuntz, MD

Penn Medicine — Tue, 09 Oct 2012 16:10:00 +0000

Andrew F. Kuntz, MD, joins the department of orthopaedic surgery as an assistant professor at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania and Perelman School of medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. Dr. Kuntz received his medical degree from the University of Virginia School of Medicine. He completed an internship in general surgery and a residency in orthopaedic surgery at the Hospital...

Collaboration Does a Body Good

Katie Delach — Fri, 05 Oct 2012 19:57:02 +0000

During the first Presidential debate of the 2012 election season earlier this week, President Barack Obama and his challenger Mitt Romney went to the mat to discuss – among other topics – the future of health care in the United States. Though the two have opposing views on how to reform and improve the way health care is delivered in the United States, they did agree that there is a need...

On Bodies and Minds: Effects of the Civil War

Olivia Fermano — Fri, 28 Sep 2012 18:41:13 +0000

It’s hard to fathom, but to this day one startling Civil War statistic stands: approximately 625,000 American men – the equivalent of 6 million men today – were killed in action or died of disease between April 12, 1861 and April 9, 1865. That’s more than in World War I, World War II, the Korean War and Vietnam War combined. Pennsylvania Hospital for the Insane, circa, 1860 With...

The Department of Orthopaedic Surgery Welcomes Keith D. Baldwin, MD, MPH, MSPT

Penn Medicine — Wed, 05 Sep 2012 11:36:00 +0000

Keith D. Baldwin, MD, MPH, MSPT, joins the department of orthopaedic surgery as an assistant professor at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania and the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. Dr. Baldwin received his medical degree from the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, Robert Wood Johnson School of Medicine. He completed an...

Penn Orthopaedics at Penn Presbyterian Medical Center Receives Gold Seal of Approval from The Joint Commission

Tue, 14 Aug 2012 13:00:00 +0000

Penn Presbyterian Medical Center (PPMC) has earned the Gold Seal of Approval from The Joint Commission for its hip and knee joint replacement services.

Penn Study Finds Smoking Prolongs Fracture Healing and Increases Risk of Infection

Thu, 22 Mar 2012 14:30:00 +0000

Research has long shown the negative effects cigarette smoking has on cardiovascular health. But now, a new study from the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania corroborates early evidence showing that cigarette smoking leads to longer healing times and an increased rate of post-operative complication and infection for patients...

Pre-Op Triage of Total Hip Replacement Patients Improves Outcomes

Thu, 22 Mar 2012 14:30:00 +0000

According to a new study by researchers from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, pre-operatively identifying patients with certain comorbid risk factors that may increase their chance of being admitted to the ICU following total hip replacement surgery results in fewer deaths, post-surgery complications, and unplanned ICU admissions. The full results of the study...

Penn Study Questions Efficacy and Unintentional Affects of Patient/Physician Shared Decision-Making

Thu, 22 Mar 2012 14:30:00 +0000

Shared decision-making between patients and physicians about health care decisions has previously been presented as superior to an approach that emphasizes physicians taking a leading role in directing key aspects of a patient's care. But now, a new study by researchers from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, calls into question the efficacy of shared...

Differences in Bone Healing in Young Vs. Old Mice May Hold Answers to Better Bone Healing for Seniors

Tue, 20 Mar 2012 14:00:00 +0000

By studying the underlying differences in gene expression during healing after a bone break in young versus aged mice, Jaimo Ahn, MD, PhD, assistant professor of Orthopaedic Surgery at the Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, and his colleagues aim to find specific pathways of fracture healing in humans.

Baby Boomers Feel the “Kneed” for Speed

Katie Delach — Fri, 02 Mar 2012 21:36:55 +0000

Total knee replacements have been an option for elderly patients with debilitating pain since the 1960s, but it was only recently that the procedure started being a cost-effective and realistic treatment option for younger patients who suffer from obesity, or who just want to maintain an increasingly active lifestyle. New research indicates that in recent years orthopaedic surgeons have seen a...

Penn Orthopaedics Welcomes Charles L. Nelson, MD

Penn Medicine — Mon, 22 Aug 2011 17:05:00 +0000

Charles L. Nelson, MD, joins the Penn Orthopaedics Joint Replacement Team as an Associate Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery. Dr. Nelson is a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine. He completed both his internship and his orthopaedic residency at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania. He subsequently completed a fellowship in adult reconstructive surgery at...

Platelet Rich Plasma Therapy – better in the OR (and left off the grid iron)

Olivia Fermano — Thu, 07 Apr 2011 16:52:32 +0000

Funny thing how celebrities and sport stars can dictate what’s considered fashionable in everything from wardrobes to medical treatments. Over the past year, there has been debate on whether or not platelet-rich-plasma-therapy (PRPT) is an effective, viable treatment for orthopaedic injuries, a topic most recently voiced in the New York Times Well Blog, “Does Platelet Rich Plasma Therapy Really...

Penn to Perform Hand Transplants

Wed, 15 Dec 2010 18:18:43 +0000

In continuing coverage the Philadelphia Business Journal ran an article announcing Penn's new Hand Transplant Program. The program is comprised of a team of specialists including orthopaedic and plastic surgeons, social workers, psychologists, ethicists and financial counselors. The program is led by L. Scott Levin, MD, FACS, Paul B. Magnuson Professor of Bone and Joint Surgery, chair of the...

Penn Medicine Valley Forge Welcomes Matthew Lewullis, DO, CAQSM

Penn Medicine — Mon, 02 Aug 2010 08:19:00 +0000

Matthew Lewullis, DO, CAQSM, joins Penn Medicine Valley Forge as a non-surgical sports medicine physician. Dr. Lewullis received his medical degree from Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine. He completed his residency at Mercy Suburban Hospital in Norristown, Pennsylvania, and a primary care sports medicine fellowship at St. Luke’s Hospital in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. Dr. Lewullis will...

Penn Medicine Appoints L. Scott Levin, MD, FACS, Chair of Orthopaedic Surgery

Tue, 19 May 2009 15:30:00 +0000

L. Scott Levin, MD, FACS, has been appointed the new Chair of the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery of Penn Medicine, effective July 1, 2009.

Misplaced Metamorphosis: Penn Researchers Identify Source of Cells that Spur Aberrant Bone Growth

Tue, 03 Mar 2009 17:30:00 +0000

Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine and the University of Connecticut have pinpointed the source of immature cells that spur misplaced bone growth. Unexpectedly, the major repository of bone-forming cells originates in blood vessels deep within skeletal muscle and other connective tissues, not from muscle stem cells themselves. The work also shows that cells important...

Acid Suppression Medication Linked With Increased Risk of Hip Fracture

Use of proton pump inhibitor (PPI) drugs for the treatment of acid-related diseases such as gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is associated with a greater risk of hip fracture, according to a study in the December 27 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.

Targeting a Single Gene Could Inhibit Bone Decay and Stimulate Bone Growth

Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine have found by targeting the function of a single gene that it is possible to inhibit bone decay while simultaneously stimulating bone formation. This concept may lead to drug treatments for osteoporosis and other bone diseases. Senior author Yongwon Choi, PhD, professor of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine at the...

Penn Orthopaedic Surgeon Wins First Annual Health Breakthrough Award

Mary Ann Keenan, MD, Chief of Neuro-Orthopaedics for the University of Pennsylvania Health System, has been named a recipient of the first-annual Ladies' Home Journal Health Breakthrough Awards. The award recognizes leading medical professionals who are making life-saving and life-enhancing discoveries in research, treatment and diagnostics that have significantly helped women...