Physician Spotlight on Dr. David Prybyla

How did you get interested in joint replacement?

I first got exposed to joint replacement during my residency. I believe that most orthopedic surgeons gravitate towards a subspecialty that fits their personality. I consider myself a planner, so the field of joint replacement was a natural fit for me.

What is your practice philosophy?

My approach to patient care is to work with each patient to manage their hip or knee pain non-operatively until that is no longer effective. I consider surgery (in my case – hip or knee replacement) as a last option for patients whose conservative treatments are failing.

What can patients expect when they come to see you?

My office handles a high volume of surgery – I do over 600 joint replacements a year. In terms of total hip arthroplasty, surgeons typically choose either an anterior or posterior approach. I prefer a direct superior approach which is a less invasive posterior option allowing me to preserve key muscle groups, which can cut down recovery time. My goal is to get my patients back to their lives as quickly as possible. I feel that my surgical approach combined with my focus on post-operative multimodal pain control helps my patients achieve this.

What trends are you seeing in the field of joint replacement?

Over the years, there has been a trend towards less invasive approaches for both hip and knee replacements. The use of robotics has been key, and I use this technology for knee replacements when appropriate.

What are your personal interests?

Right now, if I’m not in the operating room or seeing patients, you can most likely find me coaching both of my daughters’ basketball teams.