Orthopedics Articles from Ochsner Health Experts

Leading Joint Replacement Program with Dr. George Chimento Is a Top Destination for Complex Patients Across the Gulf South

The joint replacement program at Ochsner Health is a top destination for patients in the Gulf South who need comprehensive care of simple and complex orthopedic conditions. 

George F. Chimento, MD, system chair of orthopedic surgery at Ochsner Health and professor of orthopedic surgery at the Ochsner Clinical School –University of Queensland School of Medicine, is one of three fellowship-trained arthroplasty surgeons deeply committed to providing patients with high-quality, expert care. 

The team’s arthroplasty offerings run the gamut from robotically assisted, minimally invasive, same-day procedures to complicated surgeries in medically complex cases referred from other facilities. The team is well versed in minimally invasive anterior and posterior approaches to the hip. 

“My partners and I bring different surgical philosophies, techniques and areas of expertise to the table,” Dr. Chimento said. “Our unifying goal is to achieve excellent results through highly personalized care.” 

Collaborative Care — Especially in Complex Cases 

The joint replacement team at Ochsner works closely with multidisciplinary experts in areas that include: 

• Trauma care
• Sports medicine
• Infectious diseases
• Plastic surgery
• Anesthesiology
• Internal medicine
• Physical therapy 

Their collaborative approach is especially critical in the management of complex joint replacement, reconstruction and revision cases. 

These cases include hip arthroplasties involving complex acetabular reconstructions that use custom implants or cup cages and proximal femoral replacements in cases of significant bone loss. 

Dr. Chimento and his team also collaborate closely with sports medicine and trauma specialists to perform complex: 

• Knee revisions that require patella tendon reconstruction, quadricep tendon reconstruction, or allografts. 

The team receives a high volume of periprosthetic fracture cases from around the region. Many of these involve complex reconstructions and are planned and performed in collaboration with trauma surgeons and other specialists. 

Outstanding Partnership with Anesthesia Experts 

Over the past 25 years, joint replacement specialists at Ochsner have forged a close relationship with their elite group of regional anesthesiologists. Together, they bring today’s most cutting-edge anesthesia options to patients. 

These advanced options include a combination of neuraxial anesthesia, regional blocks, peri-articular injections and multi-modal opioid sparing post operative medication regimens. These allow for speedier recovery and better outcomes. 

Ochsner Health was an early pioneer of the surgical home model. Under this model, anesthesia and joint replacement clinicians medically co-manage most joint replacement patients during their hospital stay. In complex cases, Ochsner’s internists and hospital medicine specialists will step in to further strengthen medical management of hospitalized patients. 

This combination of innovative anesthesia services and the surgical home model has helped Ochsner perform hundreds joint replacements annually including same-day outpatient procedures, without increases in complication or readmission rates. 

A high volume of prosthetic joint infections are referred for treatment from around the region. A multidisciplinary approach is used, including a dedicated infectious disease team to ensure the best possible outcomes. A psychologist was recently added to help these patients deal with the anxiety and depression that is associated with PJI. 

Deep Experience in Robotically Assisted Arthroplasty 

Ochsner Health was the first hospital in the greater New Orleans area to acquire a Mako robot for joint replacement surgery. Ochsner has been using the robotic surgery system since 2013.

 Ochsner also utilizes the VELYSTM Robotic-Assisted Solution for joint replacement surgeries, giving patients more options with different implants. 

“We probably have the most experience in the region with robotically assisted hip replacements, unicompartmental knee replacements, and now total knee replacements,” Dr. Chimento said. 

“We were a training site for Stryker, the manufacturers of Mako, and have always been at the forefront of robotics.” 

Today, 80% to 90% of hip and knee arthroplasties performed by Dr. Chimento are robotically assisted. That percentage increased from 10% to 20% over the course of seven years, a testament to the efficiency of robotic surgery. 

Short-term studies show that robotic joint replacement procedures result in quicker recovery times and lower rates of complications compared to traditional, non-robotic surgeries. 

All three fellowship-trained joint replacement surgeons at Ochsner are highly experienced in performing robotic surgeries. Dr. Chimento emphasizes that manual procedures remain important, especially in patients whose preoperative functionality, deformity, or comorbidities make them poor candidates for robotic surgery. And some patients simply prefer to undergo manual procedures. 

“Robotically assisted surgery will continue to evolve, making joint replacement surgery even more precise,” Dr. Chimento said. “The precision the robot offers is likely to improve outcomes tremendously and increase the longevity of prostheses.” 

Driving Innovation through Robust Research 

The joint replacement program at Ochsner Health invests heavily in research aimed at improving arthroplasty through innovation and increased efficiency. 

In 2024 alone, the program produced 18 publications, 57 regional, national, and international presentations, and received two grants. 

“Historically, most of our research for adult reconstruction total joints has been around providing value-based care,” Dr. Chimento said. “We’ve published studies evaluating how we achieved positive surgical outcomes without driving up costs.” 

Dr. Chimento highlighted some of the program’s key research initiatives, including: 

• A recently completed study to determine if nickel metal allergy is associated with poor outcomes in total knee arthroplasty
• An upcoming gait lab study to evaluate how soon patients can return toa normal gait, following total hip replacement procedures
• A study to improve Ochsner’s post-discharge readmission reduction program. 

After determining that their existing protocol was resulting in too many unnecessary ER visits, Ochsner revamped and simplified the program, dramatically reducing unnecessary post-operative ER visits and lowering readmissions below the national benchmark. 

Unique Center of Excellence Recognition 

Ochsner Health is honored to be one of only a select few institutions nationwide recognized as a Center of Excellence (CoE) for national employer bundles, based on their patient volumes and clinical outcomes. 

This means that several national companies direct their employees to Ochsner Health for joint replacement care. Ochsner holds the CoE designation for their joint replacement, spine surgery, and bariatric surgery programs. 

Based on publicly available data, Ochsner was invited to apply for CoE recognition in joint replacement. Their volumes, overall outcomes, complication rates, and readmission rates were thoroughly evaluated as part of the process. Dr. Chimento and his two surgical colleagues also had to meet certain criteria for the program to receive CoE designation. 

As part of the bundle, patients from as far away as Kansas, Oklahoma, and Texas travel to New Orleans to receive care at Ochsner Health. “We are honored to be recognized as a national Center of Excellence, and although travel surgery presents a unique set of issues,” Dr. Chimento said, “we have developed protocols and work closely with the patient’s local care team to ensure these patients get the best possible outcomes.” 

How to Refer

To learn more about orthopedics and the joint replacement program at Ochsner Health, click here.