The Joint Replacement Podcast

Matthew Sloan, MD
  • 5.0 (3)
  • Medicine
  • Updated Weekly

Hosted by orthopedic surgeon Matthew Sloan, MD, Director of Robotics in Orthopedic Surgery at Emerson Health in Concord, Massachusetts, this podcast helps patients understand hip and knee replacement surgery. Dr. Sloan interviews leading joint replacement surgeons about robotic surgery, implant technology, recovery, and how to choose the right surgeon. Clear, expert guidance for anyone considering joint replacement or looking to stay active and pain-free.

  1. 23h ago

    How to Match Into Adult Reconstruction Fellowship with Bill Hamilton, MD

    What does it really take to match into an adult reconstruction fellowship? In Episode #47, Dr. Bill Hamilton of the Anderson Orthopaedic Clinic joins me for a practical guide for orthopedic residents preparing for fellowship. We discuss when to start preparing, what fellowship directors actually look for, research and recommendation letters, preference signaling, interview strategy, and how to build your rank list. We also explore how residents should evaluate case volume, surgical autonomy, revision exposure, fellowship culture, clinic experience, robotics, manual surgical training, and academic versus private-practice programs. Dr. Hamilton shares fascinating data from his upcoming study of the adult reconstruction fellowship match. The current environment appears increasingly applicant-friendly, with more fellowship positions available and applicants increasingly matching near the top of their rank lists. He explains why many applicants may only need 7–10 high-quality interviews rather than 15–20, and what residents should focus on instead. If you’re a PGY-2, PGY-3, or PGY-4 considering a career in hip and knee replacement, this is an episode worth saving before fellowship application season. For more information on the Learning SHAK visit https://www.learningshak.org/ Current Concepts in Joint Replacement information can be found at https://www.ccjr.com/

  2. 4d ago

    Max Courtney, MD: Medicare Cuts, AAHKS Advocacy & the Future of Joint Replacement

    Maxwell Courtney, MD joins Episode 46 of The Joint Replacement Podcast for a wide-ranging conversation about arthroplasty, research, health policy, and one of the biggest challenges currently facing joint replacement surgeons. Dr. Courtney is Division Chief of Adult Reconstruction at Rothman Orthopaedics, an accomplished joint replacement surgeon and researcher, and Chair of the AAHKS Advocacy Committee. He was also my chief resident during my orthopedic training at Penn and someone I have looked up to throughout my career. We discuss Max’s path into adult reconstruction, building a successful surgical practice, mentorship, research, evidence-based medicine, and how joint replacement has transformed over the past decade through TXA, multimodal pain management, rapid recovery protocols, and outpatient surgery. Then we turn to the proposed Medicare reimbursement cuts facing total hip and knee replacement. Max explains how CMS and the AMA RUC value physician work, why increasingly efficient outpatient care has triggered another review of arthroplasty codes, and why much of the postoperative work performed by modern orthopedic teams may not be captured in the current reimbursement system. We also discuss Max’s recent trip to Washington, DC, his conversations with members of Congress, the AAHKS strategy to push back against the cuts, the potential consequences for Medicare access and private practice, and his prediction for what may happen when the final 2027 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule is released. This is an important conversation about not only what surgeons are paid, but how reimbursement policy may shape patient access, physician independence, and the future of joint replacement in the United States.

  3. 6d ago

    Jesse Otero, MD, PhD: Reinventing How We Treat Joint Replacement Infection

    Dr. Jesse Otero, MD, PhD joins The Joint Replacement Podcast for a deep conversation about complex joint replacement, periprosthetic joint infection, research, and building a career around the patients other surgeons often find most challenging. Jesse shares the unconventional strategy he used to build a busy practice early in his career, including calling local surgeons and offering to take the revision, infection, and complex cases they did not want to manage. His first 17 cases were infected revisions, helping establish a career focused on being the surgeon other surgeons call when a case becomes difficult. He also tells the deeply personal story of his grandfather’s knee replacement complication and subsequent infection, an experience that helped redirect his career toward solving the devastating problem of PJI. We then discuss how the OrthoCarolina PJI program developed a registry containing approximately 5,500 patients, how a busy private practice can still produce high-level clinical research, and why standardizing care can transform everyday clinical practice into a research engine. Finally, Jesse breaks down their prospective randomized multicenter trial of one-stage versus two-stage exchange for chronic periprosthetic joint infection headed by his colleague Thomas K. Fehring, MD. Among 232 randomized patients, infection-free success at two years was 97% after one-stage exchange versus 91% after two-stage exchange, with the trial demonstrating noninferiority of the one-stage strategy when performed using their rigorous protocol. A fascinating discussion about surgical complexity, research, complications, resilience, and what may be the next major evolution in treating infected hip and knee replacements.

  4. Sep 9

    Can Ultrasound Treat Arthritis Without Injections? | George Lewis, PhD

    Disclosure: Dr. Matthew Sloan serves as a paid physician consultant and key opinion leader for ZetrOZ Systems, manufacturer of SAM ultrasound technology. Can sound waves actually help treat arthritis? Dr. Matthew Sloan is joined by George Lewis, PhD, CEO of ZetrOZ Systems, to discuss Sustained Acoustic Medicine (SAM) and the evolving role of therapeutic ultrasound in treating knee arthritis and musculoskeletal pain. They break down how therapeutic ultrasound differs from the ultrasound used for medical imaging, what ultrasound may be doing at the tissue level, and why delivering treatment for several hours at home is fundamentally different from the short ultrasound sessions traditionally used in physical therapy. The conversation explores who may benefit most from SAM, including patients with mild to moderate osteoarthritis, whether it has a role in bone-on-bone arthritis, and an important distinction between preserving a joint and actually regrowing cartilage. They also compare ultrasound with cortisone injections, hyaluronic acid, PRP, TENS, laser, red light, and other nonsurgical treatments; discuss its use in professional athletics; review cost and insurance coverage; and address potential risks and contraindications. Finally, Dr. Lewis shares the story behind developing a wearable therapeutic ultrasound device and his vision for where nonsurgical arthritis treatment may be headed. If you have knee arthritis and are looking for options beyond medications, injections, or surgery, this episode provides a detailed look at one of the technologies trying to fill that gap. #wearableultrasound #medtech #innovation #ultrasoundtech #kneeoa #arthritispain #painrelief

  5. Sep 3

    Hip Fractures, Anterior Hip Replacement & Complex Reconstruction with Dr. Alon Antebi

    What happens when orthopedic trauma and joint replacement intersect? Dr. Matthew Sloan is joined by Dr. Alon Antebi, a fellowship-trained orthopedic trauma surgeon whose practice spans complex fractures, pelvic and acetabular trauma, primary and revision joint replacement, and outpatient surgery. Dr. Antebi discusses how surgeons decide whether to fix a hip fracture or replace the joint, when a partial versus total hip replacement may be appropriate, and why acetabular fractures present an entirely different reconstructive challenge. They also explore Dr. Antebi’s nearly two decades of experience with the direct anterior approach, his early adoption of outpatient hip and knee replacement, bilateral joint replacement, and how he selects patients for same-day surgery. The conversation goes deeper into some of the most challenging cases in orthopedics: converting previous fracture surgery to a hip replacement, dealing with retained hardware and altered anatomy, and treating patients with post-traumatic arthritis after major injuries. Finally, Dr. Antebi and Dr. Sloan discuss how joint replacement has changed over the past 20 years, the financial pressures facing orthopedic surgeons and private practices, and why patients who have been told their hip or knee is “too complicated” may benefit from seeking another opinion from a surgeon experienced in complex reconstruction. A wide-ranging conversation about trauma, joint replacement, outpatient surgery, and the evolution of modern orthopedic care.

  6. Sep 2

    What Does a Surgical Tech Actually Do? Inside the OR with Alyssa Ellis

    What does a surgical technologist actually do during surgery, and how much does the team behind the surgeon affect what happens in the operating room? In this episode of The Joint Replacement Podcast, Dr. Matthew Sloan sits down with Alyssa Ellis, CST, CSFA, creator of Beyond Assisting, for a behind-the-scenes look at life in the OR. With more than 17 years of operating room experience, Alyssa explains the difference between a surgical tech and surgical first assistant, how the sterile field is created and protected, how great techs anticipate a surgeon's next move, and what separates an average surgical team from a truly high functioning one. They also tackle one of the biggest challenges facing operating rooms today: staffing. Alyssa discusses traveling surgical techs, staff turnover, training, compensation, appreciation, OR culture, and why experienced team members cannot simply be replaced without losing something important. Then the conversation turns to orthopedics: What are total hip and knee replacements like to scrub? Are revisions more fun than primary joint replacements? What makes a surgeon good to work with? What happens when something goes wrong during surgery? And if Alyssa could scrub only one operation for the rest of her career, which would she choose? Plus, the important questions: Who controls the OR music? Which specialty has the most fun? What drives surgical techs crazy? And what is the grossest operation to scrub? A fascinating look at the people patients may never remember meeting, but who play an essential role in keeping them safe during surgery.

  7. Aug 29

    RACER Knee: Does Robotic Knee Replacement Actually Improve Outcomes? | Andy Metcalfe & Ed Davis

    The RACER Knee Trial is one of the most important randomized evaluations of robotic-assisted total knee replacement to date. The headline finding is provocative: robotic-assisted surgery was more precise, but patients did not report better outcomes at 12 months compared with conventional total knee replacement. But does that mean robots do not work? In this episode, I’m joined by RACER Knee investigators Professor Andy Metcalfe and Professor Ed Davis for an in-depth discussion of what the trial actually tells us. We examine the Forgotten Joint Score, statistical power, surgeon experience, alignment philosophy, MCL releases, patellar resurfacing, cemented versus cementless fixation, costs, study funding, and the difference between achieving greater precision and knowing exactly where that precision should take us. We also discuss one of the trial’s most fascinating observations: patients who believed they received robotic surgery had substantially higher Forgotten Joint Scores than those who believed they underwent conventional surgery, highlighting the importance of blinding and patient perception in surgical trials. Finally, Andy and Ed explain what they would change if RACER were designed today and preview what is coming next, including health economic analysis, learning-curve research, alignment analyses, and longer-term 2-, 5-, and 10-year follow-up. RACER may not be the end of the robotics debate. It may be the beginning of a much more interesting question: We have the ability to perform knee replacement with extraordinary precision. Now, do we know where we should put the knee?

  8. Aug 26

    Elizabeth Gausden, MD: Periprosthetic Fractures, Robotics & the Rise of Traumaplasty

    Elizabeth Gausden, MD, joins The Joint Replacement Podcast to discuss one of the most challenging areas in orthopedic surgery: what happens when trauma and joint replacement intersect. Dr. Gausden is an orthopedic surgeon at Hospital for Special Surgery specializing in primary and revision hip and knee replacement, periprosthetic fractures, and complex reconstruction. After residency at HSS, she completed fellowship training in orthopedic trauma at UTHealth Houston and adult reconstruction at Mayo Clinic. We discuss her path to dual fellowship training, fixation versus revision for periprosthetic fractures, nail-plate constructs and distal femoral replacement, direct anterior primary and revision hip replacement, robotic-assisted hip and knee replacement, collared cementless stems, cementless knee fractures, heterotopic ossification, the Quiet Knee recovery philosophy, and how modern fixation is changing what surgeons can accomplish in increasingly complex patients. Dr. Gausden also previews the inaugural IOEN Traumaplasty Course in Orlando, October 2–3, 2026. The cadaver-based course brings trauma and arthroplasty experts together to teach practical techniques for periprosthetic fractures, revision reconstruction, and other challenging cases at the intersection of the two specialties. 🎓 FREE registration for residents and fellows Use code: TRAUMA100 Course information and registration: https://ioen.net/ioen-2026-traumaplasty-course-home/

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About

Hosted by orthopedic surgeon Matthew Sloan, MD, Director of Robotics in Orthopedic Surgery at Emerson Health in Concord, Massachusetts, this podcast helps patients understand hip and knee replacement surgery. Dr. Sloan interviews leading joint replacement surgeons about robotic surgery, implant technology, recovery, and how to choose the right surgeon. Clear, expert guidance for anyone considering joint replacement or looking to stay active and pain-free.

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