Rosenstein to Lead UT-Houston’s Joint Replacement Program
HOUSTON – (Oct. 30, 2007) – Every year, patients in the United States undergo more than 300,000 total knee replacements and 200,000 total hip replacements, and as the population ages, the number of patients who require surgery to restore motion in their joints will continue to increase.
Alexander D. Rosenstein, M.D.
To serve the growing orthopaedic needs of the community, The University of Texas Medical School at Houston is re-establishing its adult reconstruction and joint replacement program. Alexander D. Rosenstein, M.D., recently joined the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery to direct the program. High-quality patient care, research to improve implants and surgery techniques, and a strong educational component are his top priorities.
“I’ll be building the foundation for the program, which will emphasize knee and hip replacements,” Rosenstein said. “We can manage the most difficult cases – from multiple joint replacements for the young patients with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis to partial and total joint replacement and revisions for much older patients.”
Rosenstein said he hopes to add more joint replacement surgeons to the program as the demand increases. There also are plans to establish the UT Medical School at Houston’s fellowship in joint reconstruction. Rosenstein said the first fellow should start training in the summer.
In addition, Rosenstein said he will work to establish collaborative research with bioengineers to improve knee and hip implants.
“Dr. Rosenstein plays a key role in our strategy to become the best orthopaedics department in the world,” said Kyle Dickson, M.D., professor and chairman of the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery. “He is setting out to establish a premiere joint program, and with his background, I have every confidence that he will make it happen. He is already working with the Division of Rheumatology and the Department of Internal Medicine, and he is well on his way to fully developing the arthroplasty program into a full service line.”
Rosenstein is trained as both a bioengineer and an orthopaedic surgeon. He graduated from the University of Minnesota Institute of Technology with a degree in Bioengineering. He earned his medical degree from the University of Minnesota School of Medicine and completed his orthopaedic residency training at the University of California, San Diego Medical Center. Rosenstein was awarded the Girdlestone Scholarship and completed his fellowship training in adult reconstruction and joint replacement at Oxford University.
Before joining the faculty at the UT Medical School at Houston, Rosenstein was an associate professor in the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery and an adjunct associate professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at Texas Tech University.
Rosenstein offers total knee and hip replacements. He also is Oxford-trained and was one of the first U.S. orthopaedic surgeons to implant the Oxford Unicompartmental Knee, which allows for restoration of complex, normal motion of the knee. This minimally-invasive procedure preserves bone and ligaments and is usually associated with a lower level of post-operative discomfort, faster recovery and a shorter hospital stay for patients.
His research interests include gender differences in total knee replacement, improved implants and surgical techniques, infection detection during revision surgery and joint reconstruction as a result of developmental hip problems.
For an appointment, call UT Orthopaedics at 832-325-7141.