The fellowship-trained surgeon faculty members of the University of Washington Department of Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine provide expert and personalized surgical approaches to the bone and joint problems that threaten the comfort and function of thousands of individuals each year. These surgeons combine decades of experience, knowledge of the world’s literature, and their own cutting edge research to optimize approaches to the vast range of conditions that can be effectively managed by arthroscopic surgery, arthritis and arthritis surgery, foot and ankle surgery, hand and wrist surgery, hip and knee reconstruction, pediatric orthopaedic surgery, shoulder and elbow surgery, spine surgery, orthopaedic trauma surgery, as well as tumor surgery and post surgical reconstruction. 

The Shoulder and Elbow Service, a specialty service of the Hand, Elbow & Shoulder Center

at UWMC Roosevelt, provides comprehensive evaluation and management for a wide range

of shoulder and elbow problems, including:

• Arthritis of the shoulder

• Arthritis of the elbow

• Dislocation or instability

• Rotator cuff tear

• Joint stiffness

• Complex revision surgery of failed prior procedures

We offer a full spectrum of shoulder and elbow surgeries, from arthroscopy and minimally invasive procedures, to complex fracture work, partial replacement (hemiarthroplasty) and

complete replacement (total shoulder or elbow arthroplasty, as well as reverse shoulder

arthroplasty).

The Shoulder and Elbow Service is recognized as one of the Nation’s leading academic and clinical Shoulder and Elbow programs. Our physicians and research programs lead the way in innovative care for shoulder and elbow problems. We are constantly developing new, more effective methods for evaluating and treating our patients. 

Our team of specialty-trained physicians, therapists, physicians’ assistants, and nurses uses a multidisciplinary approach in caring for patients, with easy access to other world-class experts at UWMC (pictured below) who can assist with diagnosis and treatment plans. 

Management options can range from simple exercises to major reconstructive surgery performed at UWMC, where specially trained nurses and anesthesiologists work with us to ensure quality patient care before, during, and after surgery. Our goal is maximum recovery of joint function. The physical therapists in the Exercise Training Center, located at UWMC Roosevelt, offer non-surgical care and post-surgical rehabilitation programs. 

We are proud of our program and of the many graduates who have become international leaders in this exciting field. Our program is of one to two years in duration, and we typically have two ACEs each year. The experience includes in-depth participation in patient care, teaching, basic science research and clinical outcomes studies. Our goal is to help advance the careers of individuals who are committed to (1) a practice consisting of over 50% shoulder and elbow cases, (2) continuing active research and publication in the field of shoulder and elbow surgery, and (3) qualifying for membership in the American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons (ASES). 

Our patients come from a wide area, predominantly the states of Washington, Montana, Idaho, and Alaska. Most are seen at our main clinic, the Hand, Elbow & Shoulder Center at UWMC - Roosevelt and at our Sports Medicine Center at Husky Stadium (pictured below). Their problems range from straightforward traumatic instability to complex revisions of shoulder and elbow arthroplasty. Approximately 85% of our clinical work is devoted to the shoulder region and 15% to the elbow. While our primary clinical goal is to offer excellent service to the referring physicians and patients of our region, we are increasingly serving patients from all across the United States. We perform an average of 450 shoulder and elbow procedures per year and see an average of 3,500 outpatient visits per year. The ACEs have their own clinics concurrent with those of the faculty and provide call coverage at the University of Washington Medical Center. 

Our educational commitment is to provide students, residents, post-graduates, and practicing physicians the most up-to-date information and techniques on the evaluation and management of shoulder and elbow disorders. The ACEs play a critical role in the education of the junior resident and the chief resident on the Shoulder and Elbow Service. 

We are actively engaged in clinical research through the usage of a standard computerized database, as well as morphologic research and biomechanical investigations. We have established a clinical outcome database called “Codman” which collects initial and follow-up functional outcome measures for the shoulder and elbow, as well as patients’ general health status. Each ACE participates actively in research and is expected to publish at least four peerreviewed articles based on their year’s work.