On May 3, 2018 the Society of Honorary Police Surgeons of the City of New York awarded the first ever such award to Orthopaedic Trauma Surgeon, David L. Helfet, MD. This award recognizes the continued and untiring efforts, skill and support of Dr. Helfet to the members of the New York Police Department (NYPD) and their families.

Dr. Helfet was profoundly honored to receive this award in recognition of his work which represents a central focus to him as an orthopaedic trauma surgeon, clinician and member of the community. Members of the NYPD and New York Fire Department (NYFD), and New York State Police (NYSP) have always been a major priority to Dr. Helfet, as he truly appreciates the difficult and challenging work they all do and personal sacrifice they make daily on our behalf.

Dr. Helfet has been an honorary surgeon for the NYPD from 1999 to present, Assistant Division Physician for the NYSP from 1999 to present, and Honorary Medical Officer and Honorary Fire Officer from 2009 to present.

Dr. Helfet has had the opportunity to provide treatment to many members of the NYPD, NYFD and NYSP throughout his career. Many have presented with injuries ranging from isolated orthopaedic trauma to complex poly-trauma requiring complex surgical procedures.

The goal is always to provide the optimal treatment to enable maximal recovery and provide the best patient care possible using the most effective treatment strategies at, and with the support of, the Hospital for Special Surgery and New York Presbyterian Hospital. Meeting so many members and families of the police and fire departments and having an opportunity to be a part of their recovery is a great source of pride to Dr. Helfet.

By Michelle Charlesworth | WABC-TV Channel 7
September 27, 2016

[Excerpt]

NEW YORK (WABC) – 17 years after a young woman lost both her legs in a mine blast in Kosovo, she is fulfilling her dreams in Manhattan, working side-by-side with doctors who gave her a second chance.

Ibadete Thaqi was 13 when a landmine exploded and took her legs.

Once Americans learned about her, strangers brought her to the Hospital for Special Surgery to receive free prostheses.

She spoke no English, but would become fluent, learn to walk, and come back to the United States for high school and college, and get a job at the hospital!

She has been working there as a research coordinator for three years. She cannot believe that the worst thing that ever happened to her opened up a whole new beautiful life.

“It’s a miracle. Personality, courage, and her determination,” said David Helfet, M.D., Orthopedic Trauma Surgeon at Hospital for Special Surgery.

Full article: Charlesworth, M. (2016). Landmine blast survivor now working alongside doctors who saved her. ABC7 New York. Retrieved 30 September 2016, from http://abc7ny.com/1529121/

I was three minutes from home after a 2-hour weekend bike ride when I was struck by a car that didn’t see me at an intersection. I don’t remember the accident but the officer said that my head hit helmet first into the oncoming car’s front windshield, only one inch from the car’s solid roof-bar which otherwise would have ended things for me. 

I just want to tell everybody that Dr. Helfet is the best. I had an accident and broke my femur in 4 places. I had 5 surgeries before and the only one that worked was the one I had with Dr. Helfet. He saved my leg. I was told I could never walk again. He is the best in the whole world.

Patricia Valero
Cuernavaca, Mexico

While out jogging one morning in October 2015, I was involved in a hit and run. Emergency Medical Technicians took me to a local hospital where I was diagnosed with a shattered humerus. We decided we only wanted the best care for such a traumatic injury so we got in touch with Esther Shin at Dr. Helfet’s office. They could not have been any nicer and accommodating.

During the football game against the Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers Cornerback, Bene Benwikere, suffered a fractured left leg, which will keep him out for the rest of the season, leaving many to wonder if he will be able to return to full strength once his injury heals. According to Dr. David Helfet, the prognosis is good.

Excerpt:

But, wouldn’t you like to know more about the injury Bene suffered?

Well, time to be educated, as Dr. David Helfet, Orthopedic Trauma Surgeon at Hospital for Special Surgery, provided information on the nature of the injury Bene suffered.

Here is some information about leg fractures that Dr. Helfet provided.

What is the treatment/recovery of leg fractures? — “Depends where in the leg, but most require surgery to reduce back to the pre injury alignment, length and rotation and hold reduced until healing—on average 8-10 weeks.”

Prevalence of leg fractures in football — “Usually from direct blow to the leg or severe rotational force—much less common than ligamentous injuries—knee/ankle/foot.”

Long-term implications of leg fractures in football players — “Generally bones heal fully—the only caveat is any concomitant soft-tissue injury.”

With Bene’s type of fracture (lower leg, but the Panthers have not released is an open, or closed fracture), is he at a greater risk, or not, to fully recover? – “If a closed injury, ie. not an open fracture, and reduced as mentioned above, and does not involve the joint above and below the prognosis for a full recovery is excellent.”

The Hospital for Special Surgery is a world leader in sports medicine performance and rehabilitation and is nationally ranked #1 in orthopedics by U.S. News & World Report (2015-2016).

*Photo Credit: Jeremy Brevard-USA TODAY Sports
Full article: Schafer, Chris. Panthers’ Benewikere’s broken leg not as bad as thought. (2015). Cat Crave. http://catcrave.com/2015/12/18/panthers-benewikeres-broken-leg-not-as-bad-as-thought/

In mid-November, 2015, my son James suffered an avulsion fracture of his tibia trying out for his high school varsity basketball team. The local ER physician indicated that he would need surgery. At 6:30 the next morning, I reached out to Dr. Positano. He suggested that we see Dr. Brian Halpern, who saw James at 11 a.m. that morning.

After examining him, he thought James needed surgery. Dr Halpern immediately discussed the situation with Dr. Helfet, who made time to examine James and scheduled surgery for 4 p.m. the same afternoon. We were so impressed with the speed with which Dr. Helfet and his team were able to arrange for the MRI, CAT scan and blood work in time for the by 4 p.m.surgery.

I had a very serious accident in Israel this past summer where I broke both of my Patellas. After surgery in Israel and staying a week in Hadassah Hospital in Jerusalem, it was recommended that I come back home to New York and see Dr. David Helfet at HSS. I was lucky enough to get an appointment for the morning after my arrival. Needless to say that it was an extremely stressful trip back home.

Hospital for Special Surgery hosted its 32^nd Annual Tribute Dinner on Monday, June 1, 2015 at the Waldorf=Astoria, raising a record $4.2 million for education, research and patient care.

The gala honored Brian L. Roberts, chairman and CEO, Comcast Corporation and also presented David L. Helfet, MD, director, Orthopedic Trauma Service at Hospital for Special Surgery, with the Lifetime Achievement Award.

Dr. Henry Kissinger, the Nobel Laureate and former Secretary of State, presented the Lifetime Achievement Award to Dr. Helfet while Matt Lauer, host of NBC’s Today Show, led the tribute to Mr. Roberts. Saturday Night Live cast member Cecily Strong hosted the event of nearly 1,500 guests.

Dr. David Helfet, director of Orthopedic Trauma Service at Hospital for Special Surgery, and recipient of Lifetime Achievement Award, was seen with wife Molly Helfet, and children, Arthur John and Kelly.*

*Photo Credit: Richard Koek
Full article: Education, research and patient care. (2015). New York Social Diary. http://www.newyorksocialdiary.com/party-pictures/2015/education-research-and-patient-care#

New York, NY—June 3, 2015

Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS) honored Brian L. Roberts, chairman and CEO of Comcast Corporation, in celebration of his business accomplishments at the hospital’s record-breaking 32nd Annual Tribute Dinner on Monday, June 1, 2015 at the Waldorf=Astoria in New York City.

The hospital also presented David L. Helfet, MD, director of Orthopedic Trauma Service, with the Lifetime Achievement Award. For the past 30 years, Dr. Helfet has provided life-saving care to countless patients and has grown the Orthopedic Trauma Service at HSS into a world-renowned program.

Dr. Henry Kissinger, the Nobel Laureate and former Secretary of State, presented the Lifetime Achievement Award to Dr. Helfet while Matt Lauer, host of NBC’s Today Show, led the tribute to Mr. Roberts.

Cecily Strong, cast member from Saturday Night Live, hosted the black tie gala of nearly 1,500 guests which included esteemed political leaders, medical professionals and business executives as well as celebrities, athletes and heroes from the Fire, Police and Military services. The event raised a record $4.2 million for education, research and patient care at Hospital for Special Surgery.

“He has shown incredible leadership in expanding our orthopedic trauma service and raising its awareness internationally.”

“We have been honored to have Dr. Helfet as part of our team,” said Todd J. Albert, MD, Surgeon-in-Chief and Medical Director at Hospital for Special Surgery. “He has shown incredible leadership in expanding our orthopedic trauma service and raising its awareness internationally. The hospital is very proud of all of his accomplishments and is honored to present him with the Lifetime Achievement Award.”

David L. Helfet, MD

Dr. Helfet is an orthopedic trauma surgeon and director of Orthopedic Trauma Service at Hospital for Special Surgery. In addition, he is a professor of Orthopedic Surgery at Weill Cornell Medical College and the director of the Orthopedic Trauma Service at New York-Presbyterian Hospital. Dr. Helfet is annually ranked as one of New York Magazine’s “Best Doctors in New York” and Castle Connolly’s “America’s Top Doctors”.

Dr. Helfet is known both nationally and internationally for his expertise in orthopedic trauma. As such, he has served on the boards of the major orthopaedic/trauma societies, including as President of the National Orthopaedic Trauma Association. He has published over 250 papers in peer-reviewed journals and contributed to forty books on the topic. As the recipient of many honors and awards, such as the Philip D. Wilson Jr. Teaching Award, Dr. Helfet has received visiting lectureships including the Presidential Guest and Watson-Jones Memorial Lecture of the British Orthopedic Association.

Dr. Helfet often provides medical care to public safety individuals as the designated Orthopedic Trauma specialist for the Fire Department of New York (FDNY), the New York Police Department (NYPD) and the New York State Police.

While he focuses on orthopedic trauma, Dr. Helfet also specializes in hip and is part of the Hip Preservation Service at HSS.

Dr. Helfet received his medical degree at the University of Cape Town Medical School in South Africa before completing his residency at Johns Hopkins University. He has held fellowships at University of Bern in Switzerland and University of California Los Angeles. 

Full article: Hospital for Special Surgery Honors Comcast’s Brian L. Roberts and Orthopedic Surgeon, David Helfet, MD, at Annual Tribute Dinner. Hospital for Special Surgery. https://www.hss.edu/newsroom_hss-honors-brian-roberts-david-helfet-at-tribute-dinner.asp

In June of 2013, I was hit by a car crossing the street with friends. I was taken to a local hospital where they treated my broken leg and then there were complications with the blood flow to my foot. After several surgeries, the doctors told my parents they would ultimately need to amputate my leg if there was no improvement in my condition. My parents needed a second opinion and had me transferred to NY Presbyterian where Dr. Helfet and a team of doctors took me into surgery and saved my leg.

I’m a 60 year old active male who loves slalom course water skiing, snow skiing and an avid cyclist. I’m considered a guy that always “goes for it.” I’ve been banged up a lot over the years, but always came back stronger. My long time orthopedist says I have big balls and no talent :).

Aug. 29th, 2014…Hit head on by a car going 40 mph while on my bicycle in Copake Lake, NY. I suffered a shattered left knee cap, pylon/trimellioar fracture of the right ankle, and a fractured right hand.

After a few years of hip pain and feeling like my hip popped out of joint, I consulted Dr. Thane Morgan, an orthopedic surgeon in Amarillo, TX who diagnosed a labral injury as well as hip dysplasia and impingement. He referred us to a hip specialist in Oklahoma City (Dr. Hal Martin, now at Baylor in Dallas, TX), who did the arthroscopic labral repair in March, 2012, when I was 16. He told us that I would likely need an osteotomy to correct the dysplasia if it “popped out” again.

On August 17th, 2013, I was hit by a motor vehicle in a parking lot. I was a pedestrian and 6 months pregnant at the time.

Because of the nature of my injuries (acetabular fracture, fractured pelvis, etc.) and the fact that I was pregnant (surgery, etc. had to be performed with me being awake), I was transferred to HSS, where I received excellent care through Dr. Helfet’s team.

I was in a car accident out of the country (the Caribbean) in May 2010, where I sustained a compound fracture of the left distal femur, simple midline fracture of the right femur and acetabular fracture of the right hip.

In the summer after my first collegiate cross-country track seasons, I was hit by a car while I was on a training run. Thankfully, my only major injury was a compound (open) fracture of my tibia and fibia – as it could have been much worse! However, the worst part of my injury was that it prevented me from doing the thing I loved most, running competitively.

I was immediately rushed to the nearest hospital and a steel rod and screws were inserted into my bone to heal the fracture. At my follow-up appointment, the doctor informed me that my bone was not going to heal and that I would probably need a bone graft. At the age of 19, the words “bone graft” were very scary.

I had total hip replacement on 12/4/12. All went well and I was back to work pain free in 2 weeks. I am a home improvement contractor and climbing ladders and measuring roofs are what I do every day. I was back up on the house measuring roofs in 6 weeks.

My story is a bit different than most regular surgical stories out there, but one thing is for certain: I made the best decision of my life by going to HSS. The moment my family and I walked in there we knew that the doctors and nurses were going to do everything possible to help change my life.

I was born with a condition called Hip Dysplasia, and anteversion as well as patella dislocation and a few other long medical terms that most won’t understand so to shorten it up, my left leg was causing me extreme pain in both the hip and knee area due to the fact that my hip bone was incorrectly rotated causing my entire bone structure to twist inward leading to muscle tears, bone deterioration and patella dislocations as well as other painful issues.

Having a rather unusual medical history, with a tendency to swell a great deal, Dr. Leon Root noted how swollen and hard my calf was (Dr. Joseph Lane amputated my right leg a year ago/infection) Dr. Root ordered an Ultrasound and MRI to rule out DVT and infection.

My leg continued to swell, and Dr. David Helfet had looked at my leg, immediately rushed me to the OR and did a 4 compartment release saving my only leg!

I came to HSS after being injured in an ATV accident where I broke Tib/Fib on both legs and Femur on left. The hospital on Long Island saved my life, but said I would never be able to use my left leg again; it was beyond repair. Dr. Helfet and his team put me back together over 12 surgeries, and not only promised me I would be able to walk, but I would be able to return to my passion, which was skiing big mountains. 2 years later I was skiing the mountains of my dreams in Alaska.

Tim DiPietro
Mill Neck, NY

I arrived at HSS after being recommended by my doctors in Lima. After a femur fracture on June 2013, I underwent surgery in Lima. Two months later, I developed an infection. Doctors here treated me with antibiotics, but could not perform another surgery as the bone was not yet cured.

After 5 months, in Nov. 2013, my doctors recommended HSS. I was first seen by Dr. David Helfet, who performed surgery the next day. Miraculously, after a good “car wash”, he and his staff were able to take away the hardware and discovered the bone was cured.

MSNBC anchor Lawrence O’Donnell gave an exclusive interview to The Daily Beast’s Editor at Large, Lloyd Grove about how he survived a head-on car crash and how that event and the events afterwards changed his perspective in his day-to-day life.

Excerpt:

He had a broken hip, fractured in several places as he was crushed against the driver’s seat. He had also suffered several knife-like flesh wounds on his legs. But if he positioned himself a certain way, he found he could avoid excruciating agony. 

“I think I need an ambulance, too,” he told one of Tortola’s first responders, who explained that he’d have to wait till one of the other ambulances returned; there were only two available on the island. It would likely be a long wait because the accident had caused an island-wide traffic jam. So O’Donnell looked around for the iPhone he’d just been holding; it had flown out of his hands on impact. He had to get in touch with his colleagues at MSNBC.

[…]

Within a few minutes, he was texting with various MSNBC producers, and within the hour—even before the ambulance arrived—MSNBC President Phil Griffin and Griffin’s boss, Patricia Fili-Krushel, chairman of the NBC Universal News Group, were arranging for separate private jets to medevac O’Donnell and his brother back to the United States—Lawrence to New York and Michael to Boston—and had lined up Dr. David Helfet, a renowned orthopedic trauma surgeon at Manhattan’s Hospital for Special Surgery, to operate on Lawrence.

*Photo Credit: Richard Koek
Full article: The Crash and Churn of Lawrence O’Donnell. (2014). The Daily Beast. http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2014/06/20/the-crash-and-churn-of-lawrence-o-donnell.html

Maxime Heinsbroek is an 18-year-old university student in Amsterdam who has already gone through more than anyone should ever have to experience.

Even at her young age, Maxime has always had a passion for living life to the fullest. While on vacation with her family in France, Maxime was out one evening on her scooter when she had a terrible accident. To this day she doesn’t remember anything about the crash itself. She just remembers waking up in the hospital confused. It took her worried mother much of the next day to find her.

By Amy Freeze

NEW YORK (WABC) – A man who has already run dozens of marathons wasn’t sure he was going to be able to take part in this year’s TCS New York City Marathon after being injured. But now he’s on course for an amazing comeback story.

Fred had not missed a New York Marathon since 1995 and he still hasn’t! Ironically his surgery was the year of Superstorm Sandy’s cancellation – now rebuilt, he’s become somewhat of a bionic man. “I’m actually in better shape now than I was before the injury,” said Fred.

“We are focused on an accident not being the end – get you back in the game back to what you were doing before,” said Dr. Helfert.

He explains trauma care can make people whole again, but he credits Fred’s pre-injury active lifestyle and his marathon mindset to securing his full recovery. “For a guy like Fred, many marathons, he had made up his mind mentally to get back to marathoning, back to doing that.”

Fred ran New York last year and he’s looking for a 3:40 PR this race visualizing the last turn from Central Park South!

“Tasting the finish and seeing it in front of you that little extra bit to spring and cross that TCS NYC Marathon finish line is thrilling!”, he said.

Source: Freeze, A. (2014). Man makes amazing comeback from injury to run in TCS NYC Marathon. ABC7 New York. http://abc7ny.com/sports/man-makes-amazing-comeback-from-injury-to-run-in-tcs-nyc-marathon/373422/

Accidents can be a blessing if all we go through is mostly fear, spared from pain and long-term physical damages; and surely, for those of us who required orthopedic surgery, how blessed have we been to receive our medical care at HSS! The level of expertise and care is beyond imagination.

I fell and broke my ankle during hurricane Irene while upstate. We were stranded by the flood and I was evacuated by Army helicopter on Monday after the storm to a local hospital where they operated on part of my ankle on Tuesday. I transferred to HSS on Friday where I met with Dr. David Helfet and his team. The first thing they said to me after reviewing my X-rays was “you need us and we will fix this.”

Excerpt:

Newswise — Just before Christmas 2008 Nancy Abbate* and her husband were traveling to a family event in the Poconos when the car hit a patch of ice, crashed into a tree, severely injuring Nancy. Her husband did not survive. Rushed to a nearby hospital, Nancy was stabilized while her family contacted Dr. David Altchek, co-chief in the sports medicine and shoulder service at Hospital for Special Surgery. Before retiring, Nancy had worked with Dr. Altchek for 22 years, first as a head nurse in ambulatory surgery and then as a fundraiser for the Institute for Sports Medicine Research. Immediately, Dr. Altchek arranged to have Nancy airlifted back to New York City for care at Special Surgery. He contacted Dr. David Helfet, director of the hospital’s Orthopedic Trauma Service, who was leaving for a holiday trip to South Africa.

[…]

Immediately, Dr. Helfet went to work repairing her numerous orthopedic injuries: many of the large and small bones of her legs were broken in several places, including near her knees; her foot and ankle were crushed; she had several broken ribs; and four cervical spine fractures.

*Photo Credit: Hospital for Special Surgery
Full article: Giving Back to Those Who Got Her Back on Her Feet . (2017). Newswise.com. https://www.newswise.com/articles/giving-back-to-those-who-got-her-back-on-her-feet

Excerpt:

A novel surgery using transplanted bone and cartilage may help young patients avoid a hip replacement after a specific traumatic injury to the hip joint, according to a case study by orthopedic trauma specialists at Hospital for Special Surgery in New York. The study appears in the February issue of the Journal of Orthopaedic Trauma.

“This novel technique can help young patients to delay, or even possibly avoid altogether, the need for a total hip replacement,” said David L. Helfet, M.D., director of the Orthopedic Trauma Service at Hospital for Special Surgery.

[…]

The case reported by researchers at Hospital for Special Surgery involved an injury to an 18-year-old man who was a belted driver involved in a motor vehicle collision, striking a pole. After being admitted and observed at the initial hospital, he was assessed as having a small fracture of the femoral head and was released on crutches. Twenty days following the injury, he presented at Hospital for Special Surgery. (See sidebar on the patient’s experience from his point of view below.)

Computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) examinations were performed, which further delineated the large displaced section of the femoral head and a small associated fracture to the periphery of the hip socket (acetabulum).

Surgery was then performed, by orthopedic surgeons Dr. Helfet and Dr. Robert L. Buly, using a new technique that involves surgical dislocation of the femur in order to access and repair the fracture. Because one-third of the femoral head was missing due to the severe damage associated with the injury, doctors chose to transplant a special piece of frozen bone/cartilage. Hospitals, especially those with larger orthopedic surgery departments, have bone bank facilities that store bone and cartilage tissue based on surgical indications. Once thawed, the cartilage and bone were shaped to fit into the defect. The transplant was then anchored into place with two small headless screws.

“This is one of the first such case reports describing this procedure in the orthopaedic literature,” said Dr. Helfet. “The patient has had an early good functional recovery following such a severe injury to his hip joint.”

Post-operatively, the patient was on crutches, only 20 lbs weight bearing for two months, but he was told to avoid rigorous activities requiring further exertion. Subsequently, the patient was allowed to slowly progress to weight bearing as tolerated and work on obtaining full range of motion and strength of the hip. The patient returned for regular follow-up visits and x-rays of the hip revealed that the graft had properly incorporated. At 46 months following surgery, the patient is fully rehabilitated, was able to successfully complete his education, and has been able to return to the active life he enjoyed before the injury. Further studies with long-term results are needed, but the early results are promising.

“The surgery was a success. He is currently working as a mechanic for a country club. He was able to return to complete his education and perform a physically demanding job.” said Dr. Helfet. “The advantage of this surgery is the ability to delay or even avoid altogether a total hip replacement. Even more importantly, the longer a hip replacement can be delayed in a younger patient, the better, because there is less chance of one or multiple subsequent revision surgeries.”

Full article: Hospital for Special Surgery. “Novel surgery may help young trauma patients avoid total hip replacements.” ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 5 February 2010. <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/01/100129111837.htm>.

Hospitals using connections with trustees, governments, and friends to maneuver around obstacles and get medical teams and supplies where they are needed in the earthquake-ravaged nation.

Excerpt:

One of the first teams on the ground, a Hospital for Special Surgery/New York Presbyterian team has since returned to New York, says a hospital spokeswoman. “They did 100 surgeries in 72 hours and then they ran out of supplies,” she said. The team leader Dr. David Helfet “Is reassessing the situation and expects to be part of broader effort later,” she said.

Full article: Scott, Gale. (2010). New Yorkers use wiles to get medical aid to Haiti. Crain’s New York Business. http://www.crainsnewyork.com/article/20100122/FREE/100129946/new-yorkers-use-wiles-to-get-medical-aid-to-haiti

Excerpt:

A team of nine doctors, three nurses and two surgical technicians from the Hospital for Special Surgery arrived in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, Saturday on a borrowed corporate jet. Dr. Soumitra Eachempati, an associate attending trauma center with New York-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell, also traveled with the team.

The team immediately began treating patients. Meanwhile, team leader Dr. David Helfet returned to New York City to gather more medical supplies and equipment, as well as to put together a relief crew of medical volunteers.

[…]

The volunteers, apparently the first group of New York physicians to arrive on a hospital-sponsored mission, mobilized quickly after the chief executive of Synthes, a medical device manufacturer, told Dr. Helfet the company would put its corporate jet and pilot at his disposal for the mercy mission.

Full article: Scott, Gale. (2010). NY medical team arrives in Haiti on a borrowed wing. Crain’s New York Business. http://www.crainsnewyork.com/article/20100118/FREE/100119886/ny-medical-team-arrives-in-haiti-on-a-borrowed-wing

July 4, 1990 on a nice sunny day is when I took a ride on my nephew’s motorcycle and was cut off and ran into a fire hydrant about 50 MPH. My right leg took the impact and there were multiple compound fractures of my femur, tibia, fibular and I serrated my femoral artery. I was rushed to RWJ hospital in NJ where I almost died from blood loss.

Luckily, there was a fantastic surgeon on call that day and my leg was put back together and in a few years it was time to look further for other solutions for my chronic pain and discomfort which brought me to HSS. I first met with the hospital’s trauma head Dr. David Helfet who treated me for various infections through a few years.