Division of Lower Extremity Reconstruction and Joint Arthroplasty

The Division of Lower Extremity Reconstruction and Joint Arthroplasty specializes in orthopaedic surgeries to address limb and joint function, contributing to US News & World Report’s ranking of Scripps as #11 nationally for orthopedics. Our team is comprised of seven surgeons with expertise in performing all joint arthroplasty, from partial to total joint arthroplasty, as well as complex revisions and joint preservation surgeries such as cartilage repair, allograft cartilage transplantation and osteotomy, with a goal of improvement in joint function and quality of life. In partnership with our colleagues in the Division of Sports Medicine, we are exploring medical and clinical innovations to address factors of disease, injury or anatomy that can lead to disability and osteoarthritis. Our regenerative medicine clinical program, along with our robust scientific research program, provides an avenue to explore alternative and nonsurgical treatment options that are scientifically based.

We perform over 2000 procedure a year and our team and hospital routinely achieve the highest levels of safety, efficacy and recognition in our specialty, ranking in the top 1% nationally in quality metrics.

Areas of particular interest and expertise are noted below:

William Bugbee, MD (Division Head)

  • Knee replacement: total and partial
  • Hip replacement: anterior and posterior approach
  • Joint preservation: cartilage repair, transplantation, osteotomy

Steven Copp, MD

  • Hip and knee replacement

Kace Ezzet, MD

  • Knee replacement: total and partial
  • Hip replacement: total and partial
  • Revision hip and knee replacement
  • Arthroscopic knee surgery

Anna Kulidjian, MD

  • Tumor surgery
  • Hip and knee replacement
  • Complex limb and joint salvage surgery
  • Adam Rosen, DO
  • Knee and Hip Replacement
  • Complex Total Knee Replacement
  • Knee and Hip Revision surgery

Richard Walker, MD

  • Knee replacement

Jeff Wilde, MD

  • Knee replacement: Total and Partial
  • Hip replacement: Anterior and Posterior approach
  • Revision hip and knee replacement
  • Arthroscopic knee surgery

Featured Services

  • Knee/hip reconstructive surgeries

    • Implant surgery
    • Joint preservation (non implant surgery)

  • Knee replacement surgery

    • Partial knee replacement
    • Small incision surgery

  • Hip replacement surgery

    • Anterior and posterior surgical approach hip surgery
    • Computer assisted and robotics
  • Complex revision joint replacement

  • Musculoskeletal tumor and joint salvage surgery

We value our commitment to educating our colleagues and the next generation of surgeons. The Division manages a Lower Extremity Fellowship for four trainees per year. Fellows have completed their orthopaedic residencies and have chosen to spend another year in training to obtain high level expertise in joint reconstruction under our guidance. Fellows participate in all aspects of our clinical program. Fellows also participate in clinical research; each year we produce between four and eight clinical papers for publication or presentation.

For more information or to apply, please visit the Graduate Medical Education page.

Research, both clinical and basic science is an important part of our mission. The division maintains a clinical research database of all patients we treat. At the Shiley Center for Orthopaedic Research and Education, we house one of the largest and most valuable research databases in the world. This data allows us to ask important questions about patient care and the outcome of surgical procedures and, as a result, continually improve our care of patients. In the laboratory, we also investigate new innovations, such as stem cell therapy, and other ideas that have yet to be introduced into clinical practice.

SEE ALL SCMG RESEARCH