Department of Orthopaedic Surgery and Sports Medicine

WELCOME

I welcome your interest in the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery. As of November 2004 The Orthopaedic Division of the Surgery Department became the independent Department of Orthopaedic Surgery. In becoming a department we have seen the expansion of the department as well as its services. Sports Medicine, under the leadership of our Chairman Dr. Darren Johnson, was established in 1987 and has continued to sustain its excellence in the field. The Sports Medicine service has grown to include three orthopaedic faculty members, Dr. Darren Johnson, Dr. Scott Mair and Dr. Christian Lattermann, along with four Primary Care Sports Medicine physicians, Dr. Robert Hosey, Dr. Mary Ireland, Dr. Robert Grant and Dr. James Jagger. Our hand and upper extremity service has recently expanded with the addition of Dr. Srinath Kamineni to the established practice of Dr. Russell Shatford who joined us from Louisville’s internationally respected Kleinert and Kuntz Institute for hand. Our foot and ankle service is managed by Dr. Steven Lawrence. Mauro Giordani, M.D. has developed a comprehensive total joint program and Arthritis Center. Our trauma service has seen the most expansion with the addition of three new faculty members, Dr. Ray Wright, Dr. Eric Moghadamian, and Dr. Brandon Bruce to the established practice of Jeff Selby, M.D. who also is the Chief of Orthopaedic Surgery at the VA Medical Center. Dr. William O. Shaffer, M.D., who is the Spine Fellowship Director is joined by Dr. R. Carter Cassidy, M.D. to run the spine service.

The entire spectrum of Orthopaedic surgery, including pediatric Orthopaedics, sports medicine, trauma, Ilizarov techniques, total joint replacement, spine surgery, shoulder-elbow surgery, microvascular surgery, hand surgery, and foot-ankle surgery, is actively practiced by the faculty in the Department of Orthopaedics. Priorities in the Department are to maintain high-quality education for students and residents, encourage research, and provide exemplary patient care.

Research activities have been a recent focus of our program. Including high level clinical research, our department has been involved in a large range of basic science projects. Residents are required to spend one rotation performing research supported by grants from the faculty. Research activities currently include studies of fixation of tibial and pelvic fractures, evaluation of drug therapy for osteomyelitis, polymer substitution for growth plate injuries, and cartilage regeneration. Our research efforts are led by Dr. Christian Lattermann who has established a basic science cartilage center in collaboration with the internationally known Gluck Equine Center. I also have an active laboratory in collaboration with the biomedical engineering group on campus exploring regeneration of a growth plate.

Our Pediatric Orthopaedic Division, housed at the internationally famous Shriner’s Hospital for Children, is one of the unique features of our department. Led by Dr. Chester Tylkowski, M.D., Drs. Henry Iwinski, Vishwas Talwalkar, Janet Walker and I cover the broad scope of pediatric orthopaedics both at the Shriner’s Hospital and the University of Kentucky.

Resident rotations are all within the city of Lexington, KY, and include rotations at Good Samaritan Hospital for spine and total joints, the Veterans Hosptial for general orthopaedics, University of Kentucky Chandler Medical Center, and Shriners Hospital for Children.

The university hospital is undergoing its own transition with a new building currently under construction, tremendous growth in patient visits, and inpatient admissions.

The community of Lexington, Kentucky is a medium sized city which enjoys an affordable cost of living without losing the amenities of a bigger town. It is set in the rolling hills of the bluegrass region, close to many outdoor activities including hiking, biking, and mountain climbing. UK athletics provides any dire hard sports fan with a plethora of high level nationally recognized programs.

In short, the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery at the University of Kentucky provides a well rounded and patient focused education. Opportunities for success abound within our residency. I hope you explore our department further and if you have questions please don’t hesitate to contact us. For more information follow the links below

University of Kentucky College of Medicine Annual Report. This booklet gives a very high level view of all of the breakthroughs in education, research, clinical service and community outreach in the 2007 fiscal year. (The 2008 report will not be done until early 2009.)

The College of Medicine Bulletin. This booklet provides an overview of our teaching philosophy, what it’s like to live in Lexington, highlights our accomplishments in research and clinical care, and explains the new campus and hospital.

College of Medicine Video. Here is a short video that highlights the College of Medicine.

Virtual Tour. Virtual tour of new UK Hospital