ACL Reconstruction: Four Points from Dr. Freddie Fu

Untitled2013McGowan Institute for Regenerative Medicine faculty member Freddie Fu, MD, David Silver Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery and chairman of the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine and University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC), is known worldwide for his pioneering surgical techniques to treat sports-related injuries to the knee and shoulder and his extensive scientific and clinical research in the biomechanics of such injuries. Dr. Fu performs surgery at UPMC and sees patients at its Center for Sports Medicine. Because of his reputation, Dr. Fu attracts both athletic and non-athletic patients from all over the globe and has been featured in many publications.

Recently, Dr. Fu shared insights from his 30 years of medical/surgical experiences regarding anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction.  In her article for Becker’s Orthopaedic Review, Ms. Heather Linder learns from Dr. Fu why he’s moving away from traditional non-anatomic reconstruction and taking a closer look at anatomy.  He also shares with her how his research has helped him overcome the learning curve.

“You need to change the whole way you approach the injured ACL,” Dr. Fu says. “That’s hard for somebody who’s done hundreds of non-anatomic reconstructions. It’s hard to admit you made a mistake.”

The learning curve for his new procedure is steep. “It took me 30 years to get to where I am, and we have just recently learned to place the ACL graft in an anatomic position.”

Dr. Fu is the editor of 12 major orthopaedic textbooks and author of 60 book chapters on the management of sports injuries. He has contributed to more than 150 international research publications and has given more than 400 national presentations to his peers. As a former president of the Pennsylvania Orthopaedic Society, he still remains a member of 40 other professional and academic medical organizations.

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Becker’s Orthopedic Review