Contributors

Thomas J. Aleto, M.D. is a board-certified, fellowship-trained Orthopedic Surgeon in Columbia, Missouri. He specializes in hip and knee replacement surgery. For the first 10 years of his career, Dr. Aleto served as an Assistant Professor in Adult Reconstruction at the University of Missouri. 

Dr. Aleto has a particular interest in partial knee replacement, with nearly half of his knee replacement practice in this field. He has served as a faculty member for the Oxford Partial Knee Advance Courses for many years. Dr. Aleto has also instructed on many aspects of joint replacement throughout his career to both surgeons in training and practicing surgeons, nationally and internationally.

In his current practice, Dr. Aleto treats all aspect of hip and knee reconstruction, from a straightforward primary joint replacement to a complex revision procedure. Throughout his career, he has paid special attention to the importance of the physician-patient relationship and its role in achieving optimal outcomes and meeting patient expectations.

Brett Sachs, DPM is board-certified by the American Board of Foot and Ankle Surgery in foot surgery as well as reconstructive rearfoot and ankle surgery practicing in Denver, Colorado. Dr. Sachs studied biology at the University of Maryland and earned his Doctor of Podiatric Medicine degree at Temple University School of Podiatric Medicine. He then completed a foot and ankle surgical residency at Presbyterian/ St. Luke’s Medical Center in Denver, Colorado, followed by an orthopedic trauma residency at Kaiser Permanente in San Francisco. 

Dr. Sachs specializes in reconstructive foot and ankle surgery, arthroscopy, trauma, total ankle replacement and sports medicine. He’s a nationally recognized lecturer and instructor of surgical skills workshops as well.  Dr. Sachs has authored several textbook chapters in trauma, ankle arthroscopy, and surgery in addition to publishing in several peer reviewed clinical and surgical research journals. He’s currently the Program Director for the Highlands-Presbyterian/St. Luke’s Podiatric Medicine and Surgery Residency Program.

Dr. Sachs has held various academic appointments for the American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons and American Board of Foot and Ankle Surgery. He’s a manuscript peer reviewer for the Journal of Foot and Ankle Surgery, a fellow of the American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons, and a leader in his community. Dr. Sachs served as Vice President of the Colorado State Podiatry Board, President of the Colorado Foot & Ankle Society, and is currently serving on the Board of Directors for the Highlands Foot and Ankle Institute.

Dr. Sachs currently lives in Denver, Colorado with his wife, daughter, son and dog.  He is an avid sportsman and enjoys golf, skiing, tennis, hiking and running.

Orthopedic Surgeon Mark Klaassen learned early on what caring for others is all about. The son of missionaries, he grew up in Colombia where the positive impact of helping others was tightly woven into his character. He returned home to the U.S. as a 15-year-old to continue his education, culminating in the MD degree he earned from the Indiana University School of Medicine at Notre Dame and the I.U. Medical Center. He completed his orthopedic surgery residency at Lutheran Hospital of Indiana and Hospital for Sick Kids in Toronto, Canada. He has been in independent group practice since 1987 in Elkhart, Indiana, and also serves as Professor of Practice in the College of Sciences at the University of Notre Dame and Associate Clinical Professor of Orthopedic Surgery Indiana University School of Medicine.

Dr Klaassen is board certified by the American Board of Orthopedic Surgeons. He’s a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons and the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. Dr Klaassen is an active member of the American Association of Hip and Knee Surgeons, the American Medical Association, the Mennonite Medical Association, the American Orthopaedic Foot & Ankle Society, the American Fracture Association, and the Indiana Orthopaedic Society. Throughout his career he has been a mentor to other orthopedic surgeons throughout the U.S. and other countries, providing instruction on advanced orthopedic surgical techniques and procedures – many of which he was instrumental in developing.

John W. Sperling, M.D. is a board-certified, fellowship-trained Orthopedic Surgeon practicing in Minnesota. Dr. Sperling graduated from the University of Virginia School of Medicine. He completed his residency at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota and a Fellowship for Sports Medicine and Shoulder Surgery at The Hospital for Special Surgery. Dr. Sperling is a Professor of Orthopedic Surgery and Vice-Chair of the Department of Orthopedic Surgery at Mayo Clinic. 

Doctor Sperling is an internationally recognized expert on primary and revision shoulder surgery. He’s actively involved in clinical and biomechanics research at the Mayo Clinic. Dr. Sperling has more than 260 peer-reviewed publications and has been invited to speak worldwide to share his insight on how to treat challenging shoulder problems. He is an active member of the American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons and the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgery. He’s the Co-Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Shoulder and Elbow Surgery: Reviews, Reports, and Techniques. Dr. Sperling also has an MBA Degree in Medical Group Management. In his spare time, he enjoys fishing the trout streams of Minnesota and golf.  

Dr. Timothy P. Codd specializes in the treatment of shoulder and elbow disorders such as arthritis of the shoulder, shoulder instability, rotator cuff disease, and complex and traumatic injuries to the shoulder. He also treats over-use injuries of the shoulder and elbow for people from all walks of life including professional athletes. He has special interest in treating the full spectrum of shoulder arthritis, and has lectured and taught both nationally and internationally on the advances of shoulder replacements, reverse shoulder replacements, and minimally invasive shoulder surgery.

Dr. Codd is involved with research and clinical trials in shoulder replacement treatments and is involved in design and clinical trials for current advances for treatment of rotator cuff disease. He is a published author in peer review journals and books on these various treatments of shoulder disorders.

Dr. Codd received his B.A. with honors in Psychology from Dartmouth College. He received his M.D. with honors from Columbia University. His post-graduate orthopedic surgical training was performed at Johns Hopkins Hospital. Dr. Codd is fellowship-trained in shoulder surgery at the New York Orthopaedic Hospital at Columbia University. He is on the Faculty and staff of Johns Hopkins Hospital and The University of Maryland Medical System.

Dr. Seth Gamradt is an Associate Professor of Orthopedic Surgery. Dr. Gamradt is a nationally renowned sports medicine surgeon who participates in the care of elite athletes. Dr. Gamradt specializes in sports medicine, particularly in the treatment of shoulder, knee, and elbow pathology with a focus in arthroscopic rotator cuff repair, arthroscopic shoulder stabilization, knee arthroscopy and ligament reconstruction (ACL surgery), Tommy John elbow surgery (UCL reconstruction), and total/reverse shoulder replacement.

Dr. Gamradt grew up outside of Minneapolis, Minnesota. He attended Pepperdine University where he graduated Magna Cum Laude with honors in research. Dr. Gamradt then moved on to Weill Cornell University Medical College where he graduated with honors. He completed his residency training in Orthopedic Surgery at UCLA as well as a sports medicine and shoulder surgery fellowship at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York.

After completing his fellowship, Dr. Gamradt returned to UCLA as an attending physician. He developed an exclusive sports medicine practice. He also has served as a team physician for UCLA athletics, the New York Football Giants, and USA Women’s Soccer. In 2013, Dr. Gamradt was recruited to USC. One of his responsibilities at USC is Director of Athletic Medicine for USC intercollegiate athletics. Dr. Gamradt is responsible for managing the orthopedic and musculoskeletal care of USC athletes. Dr. Gamradt is a member of the American Shoulder and Elbow Society and a member of Association of Clinical Elbow and Shoulder surgeons.

Dr. Gamradt is also engaged in clinical research. He has a special interest in clinical outcomes of shoulder and knee surgery as well as injury prevention research. To date, he has published over 50 peer review manuscripts and over 50 book chapters/invited reviews.

Charles M. Lawrie, M.D. is a board-certified, fellowship-trained Orthopedic Surgeon in Saint Louis, Missouri. He’s an assistant professor at Washington University School of Medicine, where he is actively involved in training residents and fellows, and with clinical research. He has published numerous peer-reviewed publications in highly rated journals and presents his research nationally at orthopedic conferences and meetings each year.

Dr. Lawrie has particular interests in anterior approach hip replacement and cementless total knee arthroplasty. He also has specialized training in complex and revision hip and knee replacement. He’s dedicated to providing his patients with personalized care to help them understand their problems, consider their options, and work together to pick the right solution.

In his spare time, Dr. Lawrie enjoys spending time with his wife, son and dogs, traveling and kitesurfing.

Dr. Thomas Duquin is a native of Buffalo, New York. He received his Bachelors in Science from Hobart College and his Medical Doctorate from the University at Buffalo. He continued his residency training at the University at Buffalo in orthopaedic surgery and went on to obtain fellowship training in shoulder and elbow reconstructive surgery at the Mayo Clinic. He returned to Buffalo following his fellowship training.

In his clinical practice, he cares for patients with a range of conditions affecting the upper extremities. The primary focus of his practice is the treatment of rotator cuff disorders, arthritis and complex trauma of the shoulder and elbow.

His research interests focus on shoulder replacement surgery and he is currently involved in multiple studies including both basic science and clinical outcomes research regarding shoulder arthroplasty. He is also actively involved in resident training and works closely with residents and medical students on a daily basis.

Dr. James Ballard is a Board Certified Orthopedic Surgeon specializing in primary and revision joint replacement of the hip and knee. Dr. Ballard has consistently been honored as a top Orthopedic surgeon in his region, with patients praising his bedside manner and quality of treatment.

In addition to keeping current on all the latest advances in Orthopedic surgery, Dr. Ballard travels around the world to teach other Orthopedic surgeons about new hip and knee replacement technologies. He performed the first outpatient total joint replacement in the Northwest, and now offers this option for all patients when appropriate. He also helps medical device companies fine-tune new hip and knee replacement implants before bringing them to market. He makes regular appearances on local Portland media stations, including KPTV, KOIN, and KATU and has also been featured in several print magazines.

Dr. Ballard received his medical degree from the Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas, and completed his internship and residency at the University of Nebraska / Creighton Health Sciences Foundation in Omaha, Nebraska. Dr. Ballard completed his fellowship with one of the pioneers of minimally-invasive total hip replacement, Dr. Todd Swanson, at the Desert Orthopedic Center in Las Vegas, Nevada.

In his spare time, Dr. Ballard enjoys scuba diving, golf, and spending time with family.

Dr. John Klibanoff is a Board Certified Orthopedic Surgeon and Fellow of the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons. Dr. Klibanoff completed his residency under Roby C. Thompson Jr., MD at the University of Minnesota in 1995. He specializes in adult reconstruction and limb preservation along with a robust practice including hip and knee replacement, robotic and customized joint surgery, shoulder reconstruction, revision reconstructions, and infection and bone loss treatment. He also performs outpatient joint surgery, arthroscopic shoulder and knee surgery, and osteonecrosis and metabolic bone disease treatment.

Retired from military service as a Lieutenant Colonel, he’s a decorated veteran of both Gulf Wars. For more than 25 years, he has practiced in Rochester, New York.

Dr. Klibanoff has written many articles, presented nationally and internationally, and been awarded Teacher of the Year by the University of Rochester Department of Orthopedic Surgery. Along with providing his patients with the highest quality care possible, Dr. Klibanoff views teaching and stewardship as the most important elements of medical practice and something to be shared vigorously to promote improved quality of life for everyone.

Beyond Orthopedics, Dr. Klibanoff’s thesis was in virology, and he counseled STANYS during the COVID-19 pandemic and wrote a weekly scientific blogs related to the outbreak. He holds several patents and is the current Chair of the Board of Directors of the Rochester City Ballet.

In his spare time, Dr. Klibanoff enjoys endurance running, swimming, and cycling, reading, relaxing with his wife, Brigid, and spending time with his four children 16 – 28.

Michael S. Lee, DPM is a board-certified foot and ankle surgeon practicing in Iowa.

Dr. Lee attended the University of Northern Iowa where he majored in biology. He then earned his Doctor of Podiatric Medicine (DPM) and Master’s in Health Care Administration (MS – HCA) degrees at Des Moines University. He completed his foot and ankle surgical residency at the Western Pennsylvania Hospital in Pittsburgh, PA. 

Dr. Lee has been in practice in Central Iowa for 20 years. He is a past president of the American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons (ACFAS). He’s board certified in both foot surgery and reconstructive rear foot and ankle surgery by the American Board of Foot and Ankle Surgery (ABFAS). Dr. Lee is a noted author and lecturer/educator at national meetings and surgical skills courses. He’s also a key opinion leader in foot and ankle surgery techniques and product development for the medical device industry.

In his free time, Dr. Lee enjoys spending time with his family and friends, golfing, and spending time at the lake boating.