Doctor of the Week!

Joel Hurt, MD is our Doctor of the Week! Dr. Hurt is board certified in orthopedic surgery and fellowship trained in all aspects of arthroscopy and sports medicine.

Dr. Hurt's philosophy is patient-centered. He takes great care to address all of a patient's questions, to spend adequate time with each one and to treat each patient with respect as an individual rather than as a file number. A patient entrusts their body to a surgeon and therefore has a right to have the diagnosis and treatment plan explained in terms he or she can understand. The patient and physician can then determine the right course given his/her unique circumstances and goals. Finally, the end result of any treatment, and especially surgery, is judged primarily by the patient's satisfaction. A "great surgery" that does not address the patient's complaints is not a success.

Dr. Hurt is proficient in all areas of general orthopedics. This includes common hand surgery, total knee and hip replacement and general trauma. His specialized training is primarily in knee and shoulder surgery, including shoulder replacements. Above everything however, Dr. Hurt is most passionate about PRE-joint replacement options or joint preservation surgery. This involves a myriad of techniques which all revolve around the concept of keeping or restoring back to normal as much of the "original equipment" as possible.

Learn more about Dr. Hurt!

Doctor of the Week

Dr. Joel Hurt is our Doctor of the Week! Watch the video to learn more about Dr. Hurt.

Minimally Invasive FAST Technique Offers Patients a New Treatment Option for Tendon-Related Injuries

Dr. Michael Loeb announces the offering of a new advanced treatment that quickly and safely removes the source of tendon pain. Based on technology developed in collaboration with the Mayo Clinic, the FAST Technique—Fasciotomy and Surgical Tenotomy—is a minimally invasive treatment option for tendon and soft tissue injuries, such as tennis elbow and golfer’s elbow.

“I am extremely pleased with the results I am seeing in my patients who have been treated with the FAST Technique,” says Dr. Loeb. “They have reported experiencing a nearly painless treatment, a quick recovery, and lasting pain relief. I believe this new option will become a definitive treatment that removes the source of tendon pain.”

FAST is performed using a local anesthetic to numb the area, patients are awake and alert the entire time. During the treatment, conventional ultrasound imaging is used to identify the location of the scar tissue. Once located, a small instrument—the size of a toothpick—is inserted into the damaged tendon. The instrument delivers ultrasonic energy specifically designed to cut, break up, and remove damaged tissue safely and quickly, without disturbing the surrounding healthy tendon tissue.

“Before tendon-related injuries were a common problem that did not have a good solution,” says Dr. Loeb. “With the FAST Technique, I am able to intervene earlier in my patients’ care, change the nature of the disease, and get them back to their daily activities.”

Currently, over 10 million people in this country suffer from severe pain due to tendon scar tissue, which limits their range of motion and keeps them from living an active life. Common treatment options such as rest, pain medication, cortisone injections, or physical therapy address the pain but not the damaged tissue, the source of tendon pain. An open surgical procedure removes the damaged tissue but carries the risk of invasive procedures, including damage to the surrounding healthy tissue and a lengthy recovery time with restricted activity.

Unlike conventional treatment methods, the FAST Technique replicates the goal of an open surgical procedure by removing the damaged tissue, but in a minimally invasive manner. The FAST Technique usually takes 15 minutes or less, requires only an adhesive bandage to close the microincision, and offers quick recovery time for patients.

“I am excited about being able to provide the most technologically advanced treatment option for tendon injuries here in Austin that truly benefits my patients,” says Dr. Loeb.

 

Learn more about the FAST Technique.

Doctor of the Week!

Dr. Brannan Smoot is our Doctor of the Week! Watch the video to learn more about Dr. Smoot.

Dr. Tyler Goldberg Travels to the Japan Reconstructive Association Meeting

Tyler Goldberg, MD traveled to Japan in February to lecture at the Japan Reconstruction Association on total hip and total knee replacement surgery. While in Japan, Dr. Goldberg had the opportunity to teach orthopedic surgeons how to perform the My Knee total knee replacement technique as well as anterior hip replacement.

 

FREE joint replacement seminar this Thursday!

Learn more about non-surgical arthritis treatment options as well as total hip and total knee replacement surgery at Arthritis Camp! Refreshments are served. Bring your friends and family!

Date: Thursday, March 7th
Time: 5 PM to 7 PM
Location: Northwest Austin, 4700 Seton Center Pkwy, Ste. 200, Austin, 78759
Speaker: Marc DeHart, MD

Please RSVP by registering online or call 439-1100. If you can't make this seminar, plan to attend our next seminar on Thursday, April 4th! more »

Dr. John McDonald Published in The Journal of Arthroscopic and Related Surgery

Dr. John McDonald's article, Return to Play After Hip Arthroscopy With Microfracture in Elite Athletes, was published in the February edition of The Journal of Arthroscopic and Related Surgery.

The article details a study that compares elite athletes who underwent hip arthroscopy with and without microfracture (surgical technique that works by creating tiny fractures in the underlying bone) with respect to their ability to return to sport at the professional level. The study concluded that there was no detectable statistically significant difference in return to play rate after hip arthroscopy with microfracture and hip arthroscopy without microfracture. Professional athletes who underwent hip arthroscopy with microfracture procedure were able to return to the same high level of competition after surgery at a high rate.

Learn more about hip arthroscopy and Dr. McDonald here!