Get to know Joint Replacement Specialist Dr. Simon Greenbaum and learn what drives his personal approach in caring for patients. He is a board-certified orthopaedic surgeon who specializes in hip and knee replacement surgeries. Dr. Greenbaum sees patients at the OAM offices in Great Neck and Huntington.
What is your practice philosophy?
My practice is guiding by a simple philosophy: treat everyone as a person first. Nobody is their fracture or arthritis. Everyone is an individual, and helping people get back to feeling the way they see themselves is my goal.
What made you chose to become a specialist in Hip and Knee Replacement?
During my first year of medical school, my mother (then in her 50s) could barely walk. She had severe hip pain and arthritis that limited her every move. She couldn’t do the things she wanted to do and couldn’t even get a decent night’s sleep. This rippled across the whole family. We couldn’t take her out for her birthday, and family trips had to be modified or cancelled. When she finally had her hip replaced, the weight was lifted not just from her, but for the whole family. Having seen the kind of life changing effects joint replacement can have on patients and their families, I knew this was the orthopedic specialty for me.
What emerging trends are you seeing in the field of joint replacement?
Orthopedics has always been a “trendy” field, with implants, procedures and surgeries coming in and out of vogue. A strong background in academics and research helps me cut through the hype and offer my patients the best of what the current technology and techniques have to offer.
In joint replacement, computer navigation, robotics and other technology aids are trending. I’ve stayed current by attending courses, didactics, and hands-on skills labs to learn and become comfortable with multiple systems and designs. I am certified on multiple robotic platforms and have used all the major navigation technologies in my training and practice. I’ve found the key is not necessarily knowing how to use these technologies but knowing when to use them.
Another trend is the direct anterior approach (DAA) to total hip replacement. This is a technique that allows the surgeon access to the hip joint from the front instead of the side and back. Some studies have shown improved early recovery, although the approach caries its own risk profile. Again, being technically skilled in this approach allows me to offer it to the right patients but indicating it appropriately and knowing when to use it is just as important (if not more so).
Outside of work, what are your personal interests?
Outside of work, I enjoy spending time with my family and friends, especially at a backyard cookout or at the beach. I am an avid cyclist, although these days you’re more likely to see me with a child seat on my bike going to the ice cream shop. I enjoy gardening and do not enjoy squirrels and rabbits that steal veggies. I love going to concerts both with friends or solo.
