Dr. Sastry Debuts Robotic-Assisted Total Knee Replacement at York Hospital

York Hospital Expands Offering of this Innovative Technology to Become 1 of 20 Hospitals in the World Offering Personalized Knee Replacement Procedures to Our Patients.

York, ME. (January 18, 2017) – Orthopaedic surgeon Dr. Akhil Sastry performed the first the Mako Robotic-Arm Assisted total knee replacement surgery in Maine and the entire Seacoast area. The Mako system is a surgeon-controlled robotic arm technology that enables accurate alignment and placement of implants.

The Mako Robotic-Arm Assisted Surgery System was acquired by York Hospital in early 2016 when Dr. Sastry began performing partial knee replacement surgeries. York Hospital has expanded its knee replacement capabilities and is proud to add full knee replacement procedures to its robotic assisted surgery offerings. Dr. Sastry was the first to perform both procedures in the entire state of Maine and the Seacoast area. He and York Hospital are one of only twenty providers in the world to offer this innovative knee replacement procedure. The planning is a major component; the Mako Robotic-Arm Assisted Surgery System will create a patient-specific 3-D model to pre-plan the knee replacement. During surgery, the surgeon guides the Mako robotic-arm based on the patient-specific plan. This allows for the removal of only the diseased bone, preserving healthy bone and soft tissue, and assists in positioning the implant based on the patient’s anatomy.

“Our patients get customized procedures, tailored specifically to them. There is no substitute for the robotic assisted knee replacements that we are offering. This system personalizes the approach and execution of the surgery catering specifically to the individual patient’s needs.” said Dr. Sastry, premier Robotic Assisted Orthopaedic Surgeon of Atlantic Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine. “This level of precision allows for quicker recovery and the likelihood of fewer issues for the patient once fully rehabilitated.”

About Dr. Akhil Sastry: Dr. Sastry is renowned on the national and international level for his pioneering efforts in robotic assisted joint replacement surgery and surgical technique. He is certified in both Partial and Total Robotic Assisted Knee Replacements and has been selected to be 1 of 15 surgeons in the world to teach this technology to other orthopaedic surgeons worldwide. Dr. Sastry will be participating in multiple educational programs throughout the country teaching the full knee replacement on the robotic platform.

About York Hospital: York Hospital is now 1 of 20 hospitals in the world performing Robotic Assisted Total Knee replacement surgery. York Hospital’s surgery center mixes advanced technology with personalized care in a comfortable, and caring environment. The center is equipped with five surgical suites staffed by a dedicated and highly trained team of specialists that care for patients preoperatively, during surgery and in recovery. For more information, please visit: yorkhospital.com.

 

Dr. Welch To Present Lecture on Cartilage Restoration Advances

Dr. Tyler Welch of Atlantic Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine is scheduled to present a lecture on Thursday, January 19th titled Recent Advances in the Treatment of Cartilage Injuries and Early Arthritis: The Future is Here. Open to the general public, the lecture will take place from 6:30-8PM at the Portsmouth Regional Hospital – Hospital Classroom, located on Borthwick Avenue.

Topics of discussion will include: the role of cartilage in joint function, common symptoms in patients with cartilage injuries, the history of cartilage surgery, and the ways in which treatment options have evolved over the last ten to fifteen years in orthopedic medicine. Dr. Welch will also share various cartilage treatment techniques that he currently practices at the Cartilage Center at Atlantic Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine, as well as how location, size, and extent of a cartilage injury’s damage can dictate the appropriate treatment options for a patient.

Dr. Welch is a Board-Certified physician at Atlantic Orthopaedics who specializes in cartilage restoration, sports medicine, joint replacement, and arthroscopic surgery of the hip, knee and shoulder. He is the lead doctor of the clinic’s new Cartilage Center, a place for patients experiencing joint pain and early arthritis. Using cutting-edge treatments in cartilage restoration, Dr. Welch and his team are able to help patients resolve hip, elbow, knee, shoulder and other joint pain, while avoiding more costly and invasive replacement procedures down the road.

His lecture at Portsmouth Regional Hospital is free and open to the general public. To register, please visit portsmouthregionalhospital.com and find the event under “Classes and Events”.

Dr. Eilts Teaches Surgical Skills Course

Cameron Eilts, DPM of Atlantic Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine will teach a Cadaver Surgical Skills Course in Atlanta, Georgia from October 27th-30th. National and international surgeons will attend the Podiatry Institute workshop to learn advanced surgical techniques on the foot and ankle.

During the training course, physicians will perform surgical cases during an in-depth, hands-on lab using cadavers and bone models. Procedures range from 5th digit arthroplasties to complex rearfoot fusions. Surgical topics will also be discussed throughout the course, whose purpose is to increase comfort of physicians performing podiatric surgical procedures, improve skills through live surgical observation as well as hands-on participation with cadaver limbs and learn new surgical techniques.

Dr. Eilts practices foot and ankle surgery and reconstruction, wound care, and diabetic limb salvage at the Portsmouth, NH and York, ME offices of Atlantic Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine. He also specializes in fractures of the foot and ankle, tendon injuries and other surgical and non-surgical treatment of foot and ankle pain. Board-Certified in rearfoot and ankle surgery, Dr. Eilts received his BS from the University of South Dakota and his DPM from Des Moines University in Iowa. He is affiliated with the American Podiatric Medical Association and the American College of Foot and Ankle Surgery. He is also a member of the Podiatry Institute, where he will teach his peers in Georgia. Dr. Eilts has helped teach over 30 of these courses.

Dr. Noerdlinger Speaks at Portsmouth Regional Hospital

Dr. Mayo Noerdlinger, Board-Certified Orthopaedic Surgeon and provider at Atlantic Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine, will be leading a discussion titled Advancement and Treatment of Arthritis and Pain in the Shoulder on Monday, October 3rd from 7-8:30PM. The lecture will be held at Portsmouth Regional Hospital, located at 333 Borthwick Ave.

Dr. Noerdlinger will educate his audience on advancements in both surgical and non-surgical treatments in orthopaedics and sports medicine. He will also speak to the difference between standard and reverse shoulder replacements, including the indication and recovery period for each method.

Light refreshments will be provided at the event. It is free to the public; however, reservations are recommended. To register, call (888) 421-1080, or visit https://portsmouthhospital.secure.ehc.com/calendar.

Dr. Noerdlinger, MD, FAAOS, CIME, specializes in orthopaedic, reconstructive and arthroscopic surgery; shoulder surgery and replacement; reverse shoulder replacement; treatment of torn tendons and ligaments; and sports medicine. He is a member of the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery at Portsmouth Regional Hospital, the Medical Director of ProCare Physical Therapy & Hand Center and a Team Physician at Wells High School and the University of New Hampshire. He received his BS at Amherst College in Massachusetts and his MD at Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York.

Dr. Sastry Teaches 4th Training Program at Stryker Center

Dr. Akhil Sastry, Board-Certified Orthopaedic Surgeon and provider at Atlantic Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine, recently taught the anterior approach to total hip arthroplasty from Friday, July 14th to Saturday July 15th. The surgical training program took place at the Stryker Center in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Stryker is one of the world’s leading medical technology companies, offering products and services in Orthopaedics, Medical and Surgical, and Neurotechnology and Spine. The Direct Anterior Approach to the Hip Surgical Training Program is a national course for surgeons across the country, with a focus on surgical skills training using various industry practices.

Dr. Sastry is one of the few surgeons in New England who specializes in Direct Anterior Hip Replacement surgery, which uses a minimally invasive, muscle-sparing approach. This was Dr. Sastry’s fourth time teaching this course. He has given numerous presentations throughout the country as an ongoing effort to educate other physicians, and has also created a website dedicated to his study at seacoastanteriorhip.com. Dr. Sastry received his medical degree from Northeastern Ohio University College of Medicine.

Atlantic Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine Welcomes New Physician Assistant

Atlantic Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine is pleased to announce its newest Physician Assistant, Megan Trovage, PA-C.

Trovage received her education from the University of New England, where she earned a BS in Medical Biology at the college’s Biddeford campus, followed by an MSPA at the University of New England campus in Portland.

Trovage is also an NCCPA Board-Certified Physician Assistant. The NCCPA, or National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants, is the only certifying organization for physician assistants in the United States. It tests medical and surgical knowledge through a national certifying exam.
“Improving patients’ quality of life is such a rewarding practice,” she said. “It’s amazing to see what the latest advances in medicine, coupled with evidence-based care, can do for patients of all ages and level of activity.”

In her spare time, Trovage enjoys spending time with her fiancée and their dog, Champ. She also loves being active, especially in the outdoors.

dr. sastry with patient

Dr. Sastry Teaches 3rd Training Program at Stryker Center

Dr. Akhil Sastry, Board-Certified Orthopaedic Surgeon and provider at Atlantic Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine, taught the anterior approach to total hip arthroplasty in Tampa, Florida this past weekend. The surgical training program took place from Friday, April 15th through Saturday, April16th at the Center for Advanced Medical Learning and Simulation in Tampa, Florida.

Stryker is one of the world’s leading medical technology companies, offering products and services in Orthopaedics, Medical and Surgical, and Neurotechnology and Spine. The Direct Anterior Approach to the Hip Surgical Training Program is a national course for surgeons across the country, with a focus on surgical skills training using various industry practices.

Dr. Sastry is one of the few surgeons in New England who specializes in Direct Anterior Hip Replacement surgery, which uses a minimally invasive, muscle-sparing approach. This was Dr. Sastry’s third time teaching this course. He has given numerous presentations throughout the country as an ongoing effort to educate other physicians, and has also created a website dedicated to his study at seacoastanteriorhip.com. Dr. Sastry received his medical degree from Northeastern Ohio University College of Medicine.

Brand New Site

PORTSMOUTH – Jonathan Byron was the first patient to come through the doors of Atlantic Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine’s newly constructed facility at 1900 Lafayette Road.

A Portsmouth resident, Byron, 33, was hit by a truck at the age of 12 and endured multiple surgeries on both legs. He also suffered three head fractures.

“I drive to Boston to sit at a desk job at John Hancock,” Byron said. “Between sitting all day and spending four hours driving, I have a lot of pain in my back and knees. There’s very little cartilage left in both knees, so I’m seeing the doctor here.”

He was scheduled for a consultation with Dr. Andrew McMahon.

It was Bryon’s first time to AOSM, so while he was impressed by the new facility that opened Monday, Feb. 15, he didn’t know just how much of an improvement it is over the former location on Route 1 Bypass.

The next patient, Marc Shepcaro of Rye, however, could compare the two. He had a knee replacement in October 2015, and was at AOSM for a follow-up visit with Dr. Robert Eberhart.

“This is impressive,” Shepcaro said of the new building that is more than double the size of the older one. “A shorter drive from home, too.”

The new facility is 21,000-square-feet compared to 10,000-square-feet at the old location.

The state-of-the-art building is also home to ProCare Physical Therapy, Shields MRI, and new cutting-edge technology, including a U-ARM DR X-ray machine by Viztek.

The digitally innovative U-ARM DR equipment features superior image quality, the ability to view soft tissue and bones in greater magnitude, and decreases the possibility of operator error.

The X-ray’s flexible structure also allows for examination of patients standing, sitting or in a lying position.

The team at AOSM is excited to introduce technology like the U-ARM DR, as well as new procedures for cartilage restoration and tendon repair.

“This enhances our practice for our patients across the Seacoast and Southern Maine,” said Yvette Varney, practice administrator.

The almost 4-acre site on Lafayette Road, next to the new Paul A. Doble Army Reserve Center, was approved for two medical buildings to be built on the grounds.

The first floor has four check-in and four checkout stations with employees crossed-trained to be where they’re needed at any given time during patient visits.

There is a large waiting room with a children’s area, two diagnostic scheduling offices, and two surgical scheduling offices.

The ground floor also includes a medical assistants’ work area, and four pods where two providers will have three examination rooms in each pod.

AOSM currently has 11 providers that include six orthopedic surgeons, a podiatrist, a doctor of osteopathic medicine and three physician assistants.

The first floor also includes two digital x-ray suites, the information technology room, a triage area for follow-up patients and an MRI space for consultation. A permanent MRI trailer sits on the grounds in the back of the building adjoining the indoor space.

ProCare, an onsite physical therapy practice, occupies 7,900-square feet on the second floor with two examination/treatment rooms and a gym, with an occupational therapy station.

“The space has a lot of windows to let in natural light,” Varney said.

Also on the second floor will be billing and transcription rooms with computer stations that can adjust to be used standing or sitting. The administrative offices, conference room and doctors offices are also on the upper level.

Varney said the company gave a lot of thought to the design of the exterior of the building as well.

“We wanted it to blend with the community and the Seacoast,” she said.

There are 172 parking spaces and a sheltered drop off/pick up area at the main entrance. Varney said since cars can only exit southbound from AOSM, a service road that opens onto West Road was built for those who want to head north on Lafayette Road.

York Hospital Becomes First Hospital in Maine to Offer Robot-Assisted Knee Replacement

YORK — York Hospital and Dr. Akhil Sastry announced recently that they are now offering robot-assisted partial knee replacement: a minimally invasive treatment option for adults living with early to mid-stage osteoarthritis that has not yet progressed to all three compartments of the knee.

This provides a less invasive option than traditional knee surgery and is performed using a highly advanced, surgeon-controlled robotic arm system. York Hospital and Sastry are the first to acquire and practice this technology in Maine and New Hampshire.

Using robot-assisted surgery for partial knee procedures, Sastry and the York Hospital Surgery Center offer the potential for the following benefits, as compared with total knee surgery: reduced pain, minimal hospitalization, faster recovery, less implant wear and loosening, less scarring, better motion and a more natural feeling knee.

“Robotic-assisted knee surgery allows us to treat patients with knee osteoarthritis with greater precision than ever possible,” Sastry said in a press release. “Because it is less invasive and preserves more of the patient’s natural knee anatomy, the goal for patients is not only to have relief from their pain but also to gain back knee motion, and return to their daily activities at an earlier interval.”

The robotic system enables the surgeon to complete a customized, patient-specific pre-surgical plan that details the technique for implant positioning using a CT scan of the patient’s knee. During the procedure, the system creates a three-dimensional, virtual view and correlates the image to the pre-programmed surgical plan.

As the surgeon uses the robotic arm, its tactile, auditory and visual feedback isolates the diseased areas, providing real-time adjustments and optimal implant positioning for each individual patient.

“Precision is key in planning and performing partial knee surgeries,” said Sastry. “For a good outcome you need to align and position the implants just right. Precision in surgery, and in the pre-operative planning process, is what York Hospital’s new robotic system can deliver, for each individual patient.”

For more information about York Hospital’s Surgery Center or robotassisted partial knee replacement, contact Jody Merrill at [email protected] or 351-3958.

Portsmouth Hospital Wound Care Center Receives Distinction Award

Portsmouth Regional Hospital’s Wound Care Center was recently given the Center of Distinction award for its exemplary performance and patient satisfaction. Dr. Cameron Eilts of Atlantic Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine had been an important provider on the Wound Care Center’s team. With an advanced training background in wound management, Dr. Eilts dedicates himself to caring for chronic, non-healing wounds using a multispecialty approach focused on rapid healing. His specialties are in podiatry, foot and ankle surgery and reconstruction, wound care, diabetic limb salvage, and others.

To receive this distinction, the Portsmouth Wound Care Center achieved “outstanding clinical outcomes” for twelve consecutive months. These criteria included a patient satisfaction rate greater than 92 percent, a minimum wound healing rate of 91 percent with 30 median days to heal, and other outcomes indicative of quality care. A total of 172 centers achieved the honor of distinction, out of a total of 506 eligible clinics.

“Working at the Wound Care Center is an important part of my practice. I am part of a great team and it is extremely rewarding work for me,” he said.

New Facility Is Home to State-of-the-Art Technology

Atlantic Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine will open the doors to its newly constructed facility on February 15th at 1900 Lafayette Road in Portsmouth. The state-of-the-art building will be home to various forms of cutting edge technology, including a U-ARM DR X-ray machine by Viztek.

Based in North Carolina, Viztek is a leading provider of complete digital software and imaging solutions, known for its contributions to healthcare and private practice markets. Its digitally innovative U-ARM DR equipment features superior image quality, the ability to view soft tissue and bones in greater magnitude, and decreases the possibility of operator error. The x-ray’s flexible structure also allows for examination of patients standing, sitting or in a lying position.

Atlantic Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine and its providing team are excited to introduce technology like the U-ARM DR to enhance their practice for patients across the Seacoast and Southern Maine.

For more information on Viztek and its services, visit www.viztek.net.

Tyler Paton Welch, MD Joins Atlantic Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine

Atlantic Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine of Portsmouth is pleased to welcome its newest surgeon and health care provider, Dr. Tyler Paton Welch.

Dr. Welch specializes in a wide range of orthopaedic disciplines, including cartilage restoration, arthroscopic surgery of the hip, knee, shoulder and elbow, and joint replacement.  By introducing hip arthroscopy to the Seacoast and utilizing the latest techniques in ligament and tendon repair of the knee and shoulder, Dr. Welch brings a unique skill set to Atlantic Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine.

Dr. Welch received his BA from Colgate University in New York and his MD from the University of Connecticut School of Medicine.  He completed his residency at Boston University and sports fellowship at Kerlan Jobe Orthopaedic Clinic in Los Angeles, where he was the assistant team physician for the LA Lakers, LA Dodgers, LA Kings, and USC football.  His work has been published in multiple journals, including the Journal of Orthopaedic Research.  Dr. Welch has also received several grants, including a research grant from the Orthopedic Research & Education Foundation (OREF) and was awarded a Resident Research Award in Orthopaedic Surgery in 2013.

Outside of the office, Dr. Welch enjoys skiing, golf, traveling, and all that the seacoast has to offer. 

Atlantic Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine