ARTHUR E. HESS, M.D.

SPECIALTIES:

Adult & Pediatric Orthopaedic Trauma

Hip, Knee & Shoulder Reconstruction

Total Joint Replacement Surgery

Robot-assisted total knee arthroplasty

General Orthopedics

ABOUT:

Dr. Arthur Hess is a board-certified, fellowship-trained orthopedic surgeon. His fellowship training in orthopedic traumatology allows him to treat complex conditions in nearly every part of the body. Dr. Hess specializes in orthopaedic trauma injuries involving the pelvis and extremities, as well as reconstruction and replacement of joints damaged from arthritis and post-traumatic conditions. 

For patients with end-stage hip arthritis, Dr. Hess, performs his minimally invasive hip replacements through a direct anterior approach, meaning the joint is accessed from the front.  This approach spares muscles, in contrast to conventional posterior hip approaches, which require dividing muscle groups to access the joint.  This approach may lead to smaller incisions, less muscle disruption, and a faster recovery, and lower rates of dislocation as the posterior tissues are preserved and protect the hip from posterior dislocations.

Dr. Hess performs outpatient total knee arthroplasty surgery for end-stage knee arthritis, and when indicated, uses next-generation robot-assisted knee replacements.  Patients often go home the day of surgery, and recover at home, as opposed to spending days in the hospital. 

He also specializes in shoulder replacements for degenerative conditions such as osteoarthritis, fractures that are not reconstructable, or painful shoulders that have deteriorated from long-standing soft tissue damage, such as chronic rotator cuff tears.  Dr. Hess performs both anatomic total shoulder replacements as well as reverse total shoulder arthroplasties for salvage of joints with significant deformity or soft-tissue injury. 

Patients with failed hip, knee and shoulder replacements are frequently referred to Dr. Hess.  These patients have often seen multiple physicians, and require complex revision surgeries that Dr. Hess routinely performs to restore function and ease pain.

In addition to his private surgical practice, Dr. Hess works closely with Our Lady of the Lake Hospital as Chief of Surgery.  Referencing his fellowship at the University of Maryland’s prestigious R. Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Center, the first and only integrated Trauma Hospital in the United States, Dr. Hess steers the hospitals' trauma protocols and procedures.  Dr. Hess is passionate about education, and is actively involved in resident physician, physician assistant and hospital staff education.

Recently, Dr. Hess was honored to take on the role of chairman of the Louisiana Arthritis Foundation.

EDUCATION:

University of Dallas

Bachelor of Arts in Mathematics and Biology, 2004

Provost’s Recognition

Tulane University, School of Medicine

Medical Doctorate, 2009

Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Society

Louisiana State Medical Society Alliance Foundation Scholarship

George A. Adrouny Award for Excellence in Biochemistry

RESIDENCY:

Harvard Combined Orthopedic Residency, 2014

Harvard Medical School

Boston, MA

Chief Orthopedic Surgery Resident, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center

Executive Committee Award for the highest scores on the Orthopedics In-Training Exam (OITE)

FELLOWSHIP:

Shock Trauma Center, 2015

University of Maryland

Baltimore, MD