Todd Morrison, MD, is an orthopaedic surgeon who treats degenerative conditions in hip and knee joints.
“My goal is to improve function and relieve pain. Sometimes, that can be done without surgery, but sometimes it can’t. So as a surgeon, that where I come in. I specialize in both primary and revision hip and knee replacement surgery,” Dr. Morrison says.
He describes himself as passionate when it comes to helping his patients. “When a patient comes to my office with a specific complaint, whether it’s joint pain that is preventing them from playing a round of golf or stiffness that prevents them from climbing a flight of stairs, I prioritize understanding their challenges so that I can provide them with personalized care that will allow them to reach their treatment goals,” he says.
Dr. Morrison says he was drawn to hip and knee replacements because of their straightforward nature. “By restoring the normal structure to a joint, we can relieve pain and improve mobility. The tangible results of this are really fascinating to me. And it continues to inspire me to improve and advance this field,” he says.
Plus, hip and knee replacement surgery is gratifying given its high patient satisfaction scores, he adds. “It’s a great surgery with excellent outcomes. The true challenge moving forward is going to be figuring out how to consistently deliver excellent results to an increasingly active and aging population,” Dr. Morrison says.
Dr. Morrison specializes in minimally invasive direct anterior hip replacement and uses robotic surgery to enhance techniques in the operating room. “In a direct anterior approach, we use an incision over the front of the hip and we go between muscles. So there's no cutting of muscles,” he explains. “And we can perform the joint replacement procedure in a manner that preserves the stability of the hip joint. Traditionally, with hip replacement, there was always a risk of dislocation, because of how we used to do the procedure.”
Using minimally invasive techniques, he adds, preserves tissue surrounding the joint, and results in less pain and a quicker recovery.
“I have two roles to fill: one as a clinician and one as a surgeon,” Dr. Morrison says. “Sometimes, the decision to proceed with surgery can be a stressful decision for a patient. As a clinician, I can offer them my medical expertise and experience. But as a surgeon, I can offer compassion, patience, and a caring hand. I find that the latter is much more effective.”
