Specialties

Dr. Adam Whatley is a board certified and fellowship trained orthopaedic surgeon who has been in practice for over 10 years. He specializes in joint replacement of the hip, knee, and shoulder, as well as cartilage restoration.

During his residency at LSU Health Sciences Center in New Orleans and fellowship at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, MA, Dr. Whatley gained a great deal of experience in joint replacement surgery. He also trained with some of the country’s leading experts in joint replacement and cartilage restoration.

Based on his years of experience as an orthopaedic surgeon, Dr. Whatley’s goal is to provide his patients with the information they need to make their own decisions about treatment. As joint replacement is typically an elective procedure, Dr. Whatley educates his patients about their condition, the treatment options available to them, and the statistics for recovery in each treatment option. He believes that patients should decide when they are ready to have surgery and should not be pushed into having surgery prematurely. Ultimately, Dr. Whatley’s patients can feel confident that they are having the right procedure, at the right time, with the right surgeon.

You can learn more about Dr. Whatley’s specialties and experience in the topics below. If you have any questions or would like to schedule a consultation, please call our office at (225) 658-1808 or use our Appointment Request form.

Cartilage Restoration

Cartilage restoration is a more recently developed technique that may be preferred by patients with knee arthritis who are too young to have knee replacement surgery. With this procedure, the patient’s own cartilage is used to essentially create a “patch” of new cartilage to implant in damaged areas of the knee. Though cartilage restoration is a newer procedure, it has come a long way. Dr. Whatley began doing MACI cartilage restoration during his fellowship, training with two of the leading MACI surgeons in the United States.

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Direct Anterior Hip Replacement

Total hip replacement is one of the most common orthopaedic procedures. Over the past 10 years, many patients have benefitted from a more minimally invasive direct anterior approach hip replacement. Dr. Whatley has been performing direct anterior hip replacements since 2013, after completing training for the procedure as demand grew in the Baton Rouge area. Direct anterior hip replacement offers several benefits over more traditional approaches, including a quicker, easier recovery and reduced risk of dislocation.

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Shoulder Replacement

For patients with severe arthritis, fractures, or rotator cuff injuries, shoulder replacement surgery can be effective at improving shoulder function and reducing shoulder pain. If arthritis, fractures or injuries affect everyday life and activities, shoulder replacement may be an option. Dr. Whatley is experienced in both standard/anatomic total shoulder replacement and reverse total shoulder replacement, typically recommended for patients with rotator cuff injuries.

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Total Knee Replacement

Total knee replacement may be considered if knee arthritis affects a patient’s everyday life, and more conservative treatments are no longer effective at relieving symptoms. With knee replacement, in particular, physical therapy is a critical component in achieving satisfactory results. Dr. Whatley recommends that patients proceed with knee replacement only when they are able to commit to the recovery plan to ensure that they are able to achieve the mobility necessary to improve their quality of life.

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