Massachusetts General Hospital

Biography

Dr. Andrew Freiberg, Chief of the Hip & Knee Replacement Service, and Kristen Wood, NP, share a light moment with a patient during morning rounds

Dr. Andrew Freiberg is a fellowship-trained Hip and Knee Orthopaedic Surgeon. He earned his BA from Northwestern University in 1985 and his MD from the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine in 1989. Dr. Freiberg completed his internship in General Surgery and Residency in Orthopaedic Surgery at the University of Michigan Hospitals. Following his residency he completed a Hip and Implant Fellowship at Massachusetts General Hospital.

After working and teaching at the University of Michigan Hospitals for a number of years, Dr. Freiberg returned to MGH in 2000. He serves as Vice-Chair of the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery and as Chief of the Hip & Knee Replacement Service. He is also an Associate Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery at Harvard Medical School.

Dr. Freiberg has been invited as a lecturer and visiting professor around the world at conferences, seminars and workshops.

Research

Dr. Freiberg participates in basic research and clinical studies that are related to the long-term durability of hip and knee replacements. His areas of focus include material testing and development related to bearing surfaces, mechanisms of wear, and modulating bone ingrowth.

Dr. Freiberg utilizes specialized robotics systems to study the kinematics of unicondylar and total knee replacements with special emphasis on maximizing range of motion. In other studies, Dr. Freiberg's team uses wear simulators to evaluate new materials and potential failure mechanisms. His other studies include new methods of minimally invasive and computer assisted arthroplasty of the hip and knee.

Publications

Select Publications

Huddleston JI, Scarborough DM, Goldvasser D, Freiberg AA, Malchau H. 2009 Marshall Urist Young Investigator Award: How Often Do Patients with High-Flex Total Knee Arthroplasty Use High Flexion? Clin Orthop Relat Res. 2009.

Varadarajan KM, Gill TJ, Freiberg AA, Rubash HE, Li G. Patellar tendon orientation and patellar tracking in male and female knees. J Orthop Res. 2009.

Varadarajan KM, Freiberg AA, Gill TJ, Rubash HE, Li G. Relationship between threedimensional geometry of the trochlear groove and in vivo patellar tracking during weight-bearing knee flexion. J Biomech Eng. 2010;132(6):061008.

Talmo CT, Kwon YM, Freiberg AA, Rubash HE, Malchau H. Management of Polyethylene Wear Associated With a Well-Fixed Modular Cementless Shell During Revision Total Hip Arthroplasty. J Arthroplasty. 2010.

Callanan MC, Jarrett B, Bragdon CR, Zurakowski D, Rubash HE, Freiberg AA, Malchau H. The John Charnley Award: Risk Factors for Cup Malpositioning: Quality Improvement Through a Joint Registry at a Tertiary Hospital. Clin Orthop Relat Res. 2010.

Recognizing an MGH innovator

MGH Hotline 11.20.09 In 1970, William Harris, MD, DSC, director emeritus of the MGH Harris Biomaterials and Biome-chanics Laboratory, established the Advances in Arthroplasty course

Blue Cross and Blue Shield names MGH a Blue Distinction Center

MGH Hotline 4.30.10 THE MGH has been designated a Blue Distinction Center for both spine surgery and knee and hip replacement by Blue Cross and Blue Shield.