Episode #38
Joint Preservation and the Evolution of Hip & Knee Surgery with Atul Kamath, MD
What happens when a surgeon can offer both joint preservation and joint replacement? Dr. Atul Kamath joins The Joint Replacement Podcast for a wide-ranging conversation about how modern hip and knee care has evolved—from anterior hip replacement and robotic surgery to hip arthroscopy, osteotomy, cartilage restoration, partial knee replacement, and outpatient surgery. This is also a personal episode for me: Dr. Kamath was one of my attendings during my orthopedic residency at Penn and one of the first surgeons to introduce me to the anterior approach to total hip replacement. We discuss how the anterior approach has evolved, why surgical experience and fundamentals still matter in the age of robotics, and how technology is allowing surgeons to increasingly personalize joint replacement. Dr. Kamath describes his evolution from traditional mechanical knee alignment toward a more individualized, technology-driven approach. We also take a deep dive into younger patients who aren't yet obvious candidates for joint replacement. Dr. Kamath explains the roles of hip arthroscopy, PAO, knee osteotomy, cartilage restoration, and partial knee replacement—and why the right procedure depends on much more than a patient's age. Finally, we tackle some of the questions patients ask every day: Can PRP or stem cells regrow cartilage? When is an osteotomy better than a partial knee replacement? What is the role of core decompression for avascular necrosis? And when has arthritis progressed far enough that joint replacement becomes the more predictable solution? A fascinating look at the continuum of modern hip and knee care—from preserving the native joint to replacing it. Educational content only and not a substitute for individualized medical advice.
