Azalea Orthopedist Receives Top Honors in Texas Monthly!

Gary Paul Goodfried, M.D. at Azalea Orthopedics was selected as a 2005 Texas Super Doctor in Texas Monthly.

As an orthopedic surgeon, Dr. Goodfried has special interests in total joint replacement and reconstruction of the hip and knee.

“We are extremely proud that one of our Azalea physicians has been selected as a Super Doctor in Texas,” said John F. Walker, M.D., and President of Azalea Orthopedics. “Dr. Goodfried provides wonderful care to the East Texas community and the physicians and staff at Azalea wish to extend our thanks and congratulations.”

According to Key Professionals Media, the research firm for Texas Monthly magazines, physicians are selected based on a peer review process. Each year, physicians and nurses in four Texas regions are surveyed, asking them, "To whom would you refer a loved one or one of your patients for medical diagnosis and/or treatment?"  Once this process is complete a blue ribbon panel of previous winners scores nominees. Key Professionals sends over 45,000 ballots out each year in the state of Texas.

Dr. Goodfried has been practicing medicine since 1984. He attended the College of Engineering at the University of Texas at Austin for his undergraduate studies. He attended medical school at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, graduating in 1978. Dr. Goodfried completed his internship at St. Vincent’s Hospital in Portland, Oregon, and began a general surgery residency at the University of Oregon. Dr. Goodfried then returned to the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio and completed his residency in orthopedic surgery. He is Board Certified by the American Board of Orthopedic Surgery.

“I am honored to receive this distinction. Arthritis of the hip or knee can compromise one’s mobility and their very quality of life.  My goal for my patients is to restore mobility and, most importantly, quality of life,” commented Dr. Goodfried.

Azalea Orthopedics has 17 orthopedists who specialize in orthopedic surgery, physical medicine, and rehabilitation. All physicians offer additional subspecialties in the treatment of spine, shoulder and hand, knee and foot, sports medicine, and back and hip.

Along with other Texas Super Doctors, Dr. Goodfried is listed in the December issue of Texas Monthly. For more information about this honor, please call Leslie Fossey at (903) 595-2492.

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Oxidized Zirconium For Total Knee Replacement A wrought zirconium alloy is fabricated to make the femoral component for a total knee, and is then heated in air to allow oxygen to diffuse into the metal. This process produces a uniform ceramic oxide surface. Wear testing on models comparing oxidized zirconium to cobalt-chrome (the most common femoral component) showed 85% less wear of the plastic polyethylene tibial component with the zirconium. Scratches were seen on the cobalt-chrome during the testing. The zirconium remained without scratches through the 6 million cycle testing. Surfaces that are more resistant to abrasive scratching reduce the potential for abrasive wear.

The other advantage of oxidized zirconium is that nickel content cannot be detected. Between 3-8% of the population are allergic to nickel. The maximum nickel content for cobalt chrome can be as high as 1%. Surgeons now have a choice for nickel sensitive patients, and wear tests suggest a significant improvement in anticipated duration that a total knee will last before wearing out.

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