Episode: 10 Biologics – The Future of Medicine with Dr. Nikhil Verma and Dr. Jorge Chahla

We interviewed two of the leading orthopedic surgeons in the country,  Dr. Nikhil Verma  and  Dr. Jorge Chahla  of  Midwest Orthopedics at Rush  to discuss biologics. Biologics like PRP, stem cells, corticosteroid injections, and hyaluronic acid are all the rage in medicine right now – and for good reason. Instead of having to reconstruct or repair damaged or torn tissues in the body through surgery, what if we could help relieve pain and improve function with a minimal invasion biologic injection? That is the promise of biologic injections. While significantly more research needs to be done to better understand how to best deliver biologics and what patients they may benefit the most, the future is very promising. As physical therapists, we will always be advocates of more conservative measures like physical therapy or biologic injections prior to more invasive options like surgery when warranted to potentially give our patients the upper hand in their rehab. 

Dr. Chahla  is an orthopedic surgeon specializing in sports medicine at  Midwest Orthopaedics at Rush  He earned his Ph.D. degree with Summa Cum Laude honors. Dr. Chahla has a strong focus on joint preservation procedures and cartilage restoration techniques with more than 300 publications in prestigious scientific journals, over 30 book chapters, and five edited books. He has received grants from various institutions such as AAOS, OREF, AANA, AOSSM, SANOFI, Colorado University, Cedars Sinai Kerlan Jobe, and The Steadman Clinic. He has recently received the AAOS Award of Excellence, AOSSM Young Investigator Award, Excellence in Research Award and the Cabaud Award (two times) from the  American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine, the 2016 AAOS/OREF/ORS Clinician Scholar Development Program award and six best-paper awards at several meetings. He has presented multiple studies, both nationally and internationally, at various orthopedic meetings. He is a member of the knee collateral ligament expert group from ESSKA, Deputy Chair of the NextGen Committee from ICRS, committee member at AOSSM, ISAKOS, AANA and Infographics Editor for the Arthroscopy Journal. Finally, he is a current Member of the AAOS Clinical Practice Guideline on the nonarthroplasty workgroup.

Dr. Verma  specializes in the treatment of the shoulder, elbow, and knee with an emphasis on advanced arthroscopic reconstructive techniques of the shoulder, shoulder replacement, knee ligament reconstruction, and articular cartilage reconstruction and meniscal transplantation. Dr. Verma maintains an active clinical practice performing over 500 procedures per year. He is Director of the  Division of Sports Medicine and Director of the Sports Medicine Fellowship Program. In addition, he serves as a team physician for the Chicago White Sox and Chicago Bulls, and Nazareth Academy. In addition to his clinical practice, Dr. Verma is actively involved in orthopedic research with interests in basic science, biomechanics, and clinical outcomes, and has recently received funding for his work from Major League Baseball. He has authored multiple peer-reviewed manuscripts in major orthopedic and sports medicine journals, numerous book chapters, and routinely serves as teaching faculty for orthopedic courses on advanced surgical techniques. He frequently serves as an invited speaker or guest surgeon for national and international orthopedic sports medicine meetings.  He has been elected by his peers to “Best Doctors in America” every year since 2007. Dr. Nikhil Verma was voted among the top 10-15% of Top Doctors in America® by  U.S.News & World Report and Castle Connolly. The Top Doctors list is widely regarded as a high-quality reference guide to the medical profession.

Enjoy!

The Prehab Guys

Guest: Dr. Nikhil Verma and Dr. Jorge Chahla

Instagram: @chicagosportsdoc @nikhilvermamd

Learn more about the Shoulder [P]Rehab Program HERE. Learn more about the Knee [P]Rehab Program HERE.