Orthopaedic surgeon Perth
Choosing the best Orthopaedic Surgeon for your specific shoulder or knee problems
If you are experiencing shoulder or knee problems, and you have been referred to an Orthopaedic Surgeon, how do you know you will be seeing the right surgeon? Keep on reading to find out how to choose an Orthopaedic Surgeon that is the best fit for your knee or shoulder issue.
Subspecialties orthopaedic surgeon Perth
Why are subspecialties in Orthopaedic Surgery so important?
You may have been referred to an Orthopaedic Surgeon after a sports or work-related accident, or to treat wear and tear on your joints. But with so many orthopaedic surgeons practising in Perth, it can be time-consuming to make a choice that is best for your specific issue.
It is important to understand that Orthopaedic Surgeons in Australia have completed specialist training after their initial medical training. Within Orthopaedics, some colleagues are considered generalists and they basically look after conditions affecting any joint or bone. Others have taken subspecialty training, and focus on one or two particular parts of the body.
I am an Orthopaedic Surgeon specialising in shoulders and knees. I was fortunate to receive advanced training from one of the pioneers and widely regarded experts of arthroscopic shoulder surgery, Dr Laurent Lafosse in Annecy, France.
During my training as an Orthopaedic Surgeon in Perth, I had a keen interest in how to perform arthroscopic cuff repairs but there was nobody in Perth doing them. After training for a year with Dr Lafosse I could offer these new techniques to my patients when starting to work as a consultant in Perth in 2011.
So, why are subspecialties in Orthopaedic Surgery so important? The surgeon’s expertise related to your problem is an important factor because it may impact on your results. As most surgeons improve their results with experience and practice, it is appropriate to enquire how many similar procedures they have performed.
As a shoulder and knee surgeon here in Perth, I strongly recommend you carefully assess your surgeon’s expertise, experience and training.
I have learned from some of the best in arthroscopic surgery for rotator cuff tears and impingement, you could call me the Perth specialist with a particular expertise in that type of surgery.
I also have a keen interest in shoulder instability, frozen shoulder, shoulder arthritis, and shoulder replacement. I am regularly invited to speak at national and international congresses, because I have utilised new technologies with great success as an early adopter in the field of shoulder surgery.
I was the first surgeon in Western Australia and 5th worldwide to use a commercially available and approved system for computer navigation in shoulder replacements. I also have used a tension sensor to assess a shoulder replacement intraoperatively as the first surgeon worldwide.
I am currently working on the implementation of augmented reality glasses into shoulder surgery, in particular surgical navigation for shoulder replacements.
As a student in the early nineties I worked with a renowned Orthopaedic Surgeon in Cologne (Germany) who taught me how to do knee arthroscopies. This ignited a passion. I found I had a natural skill for it and love doing these procedures.
You can contact my practice for issues such as meniscus tears, ACL injuries, any knee ligament issues and knee arthritis problems. I am utilising the latest techniques and technology, most recently in the form of a type of total knee replacement which is custom-made to the patient specific anatomy and kinematics.
Orthopaedic surgeon Perth Dr Sven Goebel
Innovation and research are important too
Innovation in Orthopaedic Surgery has always been my thing. I was one of the first Orthopaedic Surgeons worldwide to utilise computer navigation for shoulder replacements.
Recently, I have been interested in patient-specific knee implants with an advanced algorithm to restore the normal motion of the knee as they focus on the individual anatomy of the patient. I was the first Orthopaedic Surgeon outside Europe to utilise this particular type of customised implant which has been used successfully for a number of years in Europe already.
In December 2022, I had the privilege of being the first to use a novel uncemented glenoid component for my preferred anatomic total shoulder replacement. The Swiss engineers have been teasing this for years and years, and with a long proven track record for its use in hip surgery, I would like to see this component work in the shoulder too.
Metal-backed glenoids for anatomic shoulder replacements have had their issues in the past, and I was never sold on them. The technology of these newer types of implants is different and they should work better.
Dr Sven Goebel, Orthopaedic Surgeon Perth
The lure of new technology is what continues driving me to improve patient outcomes. There is no better feeling than changing somebody’s life by doing a procedure that returns them to normal activities and normal life. I like to see myself as a “lifestyle-saving surgeon”.
Second opinion orthopaedic surgeon perth
The importance of orthopaedic second opinions
Often, I am asked for a second opinion – not just locally here in Perth, but also nationally and internationally. Your future health depends on that crucial decision of choosing the best treatment and Orthopaedic Surgeon for your specific problem.
There is absolutely nothing wrong with asking for a second opinion, to the contrary. You can gain valuable insights and knowledge which altogether work to your benefit and greater results.
If you are in doubt or would like to hear my thoughts on your shoulder or knee issue, please contact my practice today and I will gladly provide a second opinion.