Baton Rouge Knee Doctor

Baton Rouge Knee Specialist

Dr. Burnham is a fellowship-trained sports medicine surgeon and knee doctor who has a special focus on knee injuries, ligament tears, and cartilage repair. His clinical and research focus has centered around ACL tears, meniscus tears, cartilage injuries, knee dislocation, and other knee ligament injuries.  He specializes in “non-knee replacement” knee surgery, also known as knee preservation surgery. 

Orthopedic Doctors in Baton Rouge

Dr. Burnham is one of the orthopedic doctors in Baton Rouge who specializes in knee surgery. He trained under world-renowned knee doctors and surgeons at the UPMC in Pittsburgh, PA and UK in Lexington, KY. He currently practices in Baton Rouge, LA at the Andrews-Ochsner Sports Medicine Institute.  He also has offices in Hammond, Brusly/Plaquemine, and sees patients throughout Louisiana and the Gulf Coast.

ACL Specialist

Dr. Burnham is board-certified and fellowship trained in both orthopedic surgery and orthopedic sports medicine. He is an specializes in ACL tears and works with a multi-disciplinary team that works together to optimize ACL outcomes.

Knee injuries and knee conditions treated by Dr. Burnham include:

• ACL tears
• PCL tears
• MCL tears
• Meniscus tears
• Meniscal Root Repair
• Partial Meniscectomy
• Knee Cartilage injuries
• Patellofemoral instability
• Patellar dislocations
• MPFL Reconstruction and Repair
• Tibial Tubercle Transfer (Osteotomy)
• Knee dislocations
• ALL (anterolateral ligament) and ALC Tears
• LCL Tears
• Baker’s Cysts
• Knee arthritis
• Orthobiologics (PRP, BMAC, Stem Cells)
• Unstable Knee
• Knee Swelling
• Knee Popping and Knee Catching

Minimally Invasive Knee Surgery

Many knee injuries can be treated arthroscopically (minimally invasive with small incisions and a scope), although some require open incisions. Typical symptoms of a knee injury include sudden or gradual pain, swelling inside and around the knee (knee effusion), a sensation or sound of a “pop” or tear, and pain with walking, twisting, bending, or putting any weight on it. Initial treatment should consist of rest, ice, elevation, and compression. Persistent pain or swelling, or any catching, locking, buckling, or instability should be further evaluated by a knee doctor.

Not all knee injuries need surgery. Many ligament strains can heal on their own with rest and physical therapy. Structures inside the knee have less healing potential. For example, very few ACL tears are able to heal on their own. Most of the time, the torn ACL is replaced with a graft during a procedure known as ACL reconstruction. Similarly, the meniscus has poor healing potential and relatively little blood supply. Some meniscus tears are trimmed out, but more and more are able to be repaired with every improving technology and techniques.

TIP: 3 Considerations When Choosing a Baton Rouge Knee Doctor to Evaluate Your Knee Pain

If you are experiencing some of the symptoms listed above such as knee pain, knee swelling, instability, catching or locking, it may be time to get evaluated by a doctor who specializes in the treatment of knee injuries near you. When choosing an orthopedic surgeon or knee doctor, consider the following:

1. Start with this article by orthopedic surgeon Howard Luks, MD discussing the factors to consider when choosing the best knee doctor.
2. Verify the board certification status of the doctors you are considering.
3. Look for the top published surgeons in your area on your specific injury to identify those doctors who have special expertise and are focused on the knee injury or knee condition you need treated.