Vanderbilt Department of Orthopaedic Surgery
Celebrating 60 years
At Vanderbilt Orthopaedics we’re celebrating 60 years of caring for patients. Gregory Polkowski, MD, MSCR, Msc, associate professor, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery and division chief, Adult Reconstruction, reflects on this milestone:
In 60 years, we’ve grown tremendously in terms of patient visits, surgical volumes and the size of our surgical team. We’ve become increasingly subspecialized. Nearly all Vanderbilt orthopaedic surgeons are trained in a subspecialty: spine surgery, hand/upper extremity, sports medicine and more.
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We have become the fourth largest care site in the U.S. for orthopaedic surgical oncology, diagnosing and treating over 450 patients each year. Our multidisciplinary care often involves chemotherapy, tumor removal, complex surgical reconstructions and radiation therapy. |
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Our sports medicine experts care for athletes at all levels, from high school to professional sports. We are now the primary medical and orthopaedic service for the NHL Nashville Predators, Nashville Soccer Club, minor league Nashville Sounds; and Vanderbilt University athletics. That requires specialists at the top of their game, no pun intended, in sports medicine. |
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As an academic medical center, our research mission is always at the forefront. We have recently begun using robotic technology for total joint replacement surgery. We study robotic technology’s ability to improve surgical accuracy and outcomes, to determine whether manufacturers’ claims of improved outcomes can be borne out by data. Additionally, our focus on spine surgery outcomes data yields high quality research. The late Clint Devin, MD, established our comprehensive spine outcomes registry, far ahead of other centers. Our research today will influence treatment protocols of the future. |
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Robust preoperative assessment of surgical patients means an increasing number of total joint replacements – now more than half -- are done on an outpatient basis, and we continually strive to reduce patients’ postoperative pain and improve immediate post-op functioning. We’re doing this successfully without additional complications, which is good for our patients and their families. |
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We have a rich history of pediatric care, before pediatric orthopaedics was a popular subspecialty. The late Neil Green, MD, laid the foundation for our practice, and today our volume grows in pediatric spinal surgeries, including scoliosis deformity correction. Jonathan Schoenecker, MD, PhD, is a world expert in pediatric hip pathology. We proudly serve children and adolescents from across the Southeast. |
Our unique combination of research and collaborative, multidisciplinary care has fueled our growth for 60 years, and we intend to continually improve orthopaedic care into the future.
Vanderbilt Orthopaedic Locations
