An award-winning educator and physician, Dr. Bobby Chhabra serves as professor and chair of the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery at the University of Virginia (UVA) School of Medicine and Health System. Dr. Bobby Chhabra has been the leading force in establishing the new UVA Orthopedic Center.
Situated on Ivy Road In Charlottesville, the orthopedic center at UVA Health opened its doors in February 2022. The 200,000-square-foot facility houses all orthopedic and musculoskeletal care services under one roof. Patients will no longer need to go to different buildings for prosthetics, therapy, and MRIs. The only orthopedics center of its kind in Virginia, the facility brings together education, research, and patient care in one convenient location. Specialists can work collaboratively in treating patients, such as those with multiple ailments like back, hand, and ankle injuries. The setup will help UVA Health’s orthopedics team provide groundbreaking care for Virginia residents and others who require the center’s staff expertise. The UVA Orthopedic Center’s features include 90 clinic exam rooms, imaging (MRI, X-ray, CT), four operating rooms, a therapy gym, rehab space, a food venue, and a pharmacy.
0 Comments
Dr. Bobby Chhabra has an extensive background in orthopedic surgery spanning sports medicine and several specialties, and chairs the University of Virginia (UVA) orthopedics department. Dr. Bobby Chhabra leads a number of programs, including a Prosthetics and Orthotics clinic that addresses situations involving injuries of UVA athletes.
One common situation involves an athlete injuring the foot and needing a custom shoe orthotic. A type of prescription medical device, orthotics are molded and cast to reflect the individual’s foot contours while considering the specific biomechanical foot issues in play. This approach stands as distinct from using inserts available in retail settings. These simply provide general support, structure, and cushioning for the foot. Creating a custom shoe orthotic starts with a thorough examination of the foot and ankle, and involves taking three-dimensional images of each foot. In order to understand how the feet function together and as individual units, the orthotist will have the patient walk while observing the movement of the hips, legs, and feet. The orthotist then creates a precise mold of each foot, which is transformed into a soft or hard orthotic with just the right fit. As a general rule, functional or rigid orthotics are crafted from carbon fiber or plastic, and work to address foot strains, as well as pain that carries through to the legs and thighs, and possibly the lower back. Soft orthotics feature compression materials and take pressure off of uncomfortable spots through targeted cushioning. Often used by those with diabetic foot ulcers or plantar fasciitis, soft orthotics can be bulky and require specialized footwear. Medical doctor Bobby Chhabra is a professor and the chair of orthopedic surgery at the University of Virginia School of Medicine. A physician in the orthopedic hand and upper extremity division of the school, Bobby Chhabra supports the division’s Hand and Upper Extremity Fellowship. The Hand and Upper Extremity Fellowship is offered every year to two surgeons-in-training with a goal to prepare them for compassionate and responsible practice on all pathologies affecting the hand, shoulder, elbow, and wrist. The fellowship also encourages the surgeons-in-training to give back by advancing the specialty through continuous involvement in scientific research and long-term practice. The fellowship lasts one year, from August 1 to July 31. Training focuses on congenital, sports-related, and injury-related pathologies of the hand and upper extremities. Fellows work together with the university’s four orthopedic hand and upper extremity faculty on a rotating basis. They also get an opportunity to work with plastic surgeons to gain experience in caring for wounds and transferring free tissue. At the end of the program, fellows will have gained experience on how to diagnose, manage, and surgically treat disorders of the upper extremities. Bobby Chhabra, an orthopaedic hand surgeon, has been a member of the University of Virginia Health System since 2002. Hand surgeons such as Bobby Chhabra often perform a surgery called resection arthroplasty to reduce pain and restore function to arthritic thumbs. In a resection arthroplasty, the surgeon removes a bone from the base of the thumb and replaces it with a small amount of tendon material. This tissue serves the same purpose as the bone but prevents joint surfaces from rubbing together and causing pain. The surgery takes about 90 minutes and can be performed under local or general anesthetic. Afterward, the thumb is bandaged and splinted to keep it in a natural position as it heals. Patients must schedule a follow-up appointment after about a week, and stitches will usually be removed two weeks later. If a pin was used to protect the joint, the pin is removed a few weeks afterward. A full recovery takes about four months. Dr. Bobby Chhabra has extensive leadership experience in orthopaedic surgery, practicing within the University of Virginia (UVA) Health System. Serving as UVA Athletics team physician, Dr. Bobby Chhabra has knowledge spanning hand, tendon, and upper extremity injuries. Tendon injuries include those involving the biceps, a muscle that inhabits the front of the upper arms. The biceps attaches to the shoulder bones through a pair of tendons and is also attached at the elbow to the radius bone through a single tendon. Associated with overuse and repetitive motion, biceps tendonitis often occurs among athletes who swim or play tennis, baseball, or golf. Occurring either at the elbow or the shoulder, it may be accompanied by rotator cuff tendonitis. While painful, this type of tendonitis usually can be resolved through a combination of therapies that include cold packs and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, such as ibuprofen and aspirin. A common recommendation is extended rest, free from heavy lifting and the repetitive motion that caused the injury. Over time, a full range of motion and pain-free movement should be attained. In serious cases, surgery may be recommended, with the tendon lining opened and the inflammatory tissue taken out. In addition, tears in the tendon are identified and repaired. Dr. Bobby Chhabra, endowed chair of orthopaedic surgery at the University of Virginia Health System, specializes in surgeries of the hand and upper extremities. Focused particularly on the correction of congenital hand deformities, Dr. Bobby Chhabra has received media attention for his success in the use of digit pollicization. When a child is born without a thumb, the process of pollicization may allow surgeons to re-place the index finger so that the body can use that digit as a thumb. The procedure most often occurs when the child is between 1 and 2 years old, and naturally developing the ability to manipulate the hand. The procedure requires the surgeon to shorten one of the bones that make up the index finger. This creates a digit that is similar in length to a natural thumb. The surgeon then shifts the index finger, without amputation, into position. Most children are able to leave the hospital the day after surgery, though the repositioned thumb will not begin to function until the surgical site has begun to heal. This typically happens after approximately four weeks. Over the course of the next few months, an occupational therapist helps the child to use the thumb, which typically develops full range of motion by the 12th week after surgery. As University of Virginia’s (UVA) Department of Orthopedics chairman, Dr. Bobby Chhabra oversees a full range of surgical procedures in his orthopaedic department. Dr. Bobby Chhabra’s departments work was recognized late last year, when the Becker’s Hospital Review selected UVA Orthopedics as one of its “100 Hospitals with Great Orthopedic Programs 2016.” As defined by Becker’s, all hospitals on the list have amassed a long-term reputation for excellence in orthopedic care, as well as received recognition in diverse quarters, from accrediting organizations to publications. Dr. Chhabra described feeling honored in having his UVA team recognized for this accomplishment. With its “high-performing” rating in U.S. News and World Report’s 2016-2017 “Best Hospitals” guide, UVA also achieved distinction for its hip and knee replacement capabilities. The department placed in the top 10 percentile in its area of specialization and is recognized by the BlueCross BlueShield as a Blue Distinction Center. A graduate of the University of Virginia School of Medicine, Dr. Bobby Chhabra has more than 15 years of experience in orthopaedic surgery. Dr. Bobby Chhabra leverages his training and experience to serve as a professor and chair of orthopaedic surgery at the University of Virginia Health Systems, which holds a number of continuing education programs for orthopaedic specialists. On a weekly basis, the University of Virginia Department of Orthopaedic Surgery offers several educational sessions, including: -Fracture conference. Each Monday, the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery hosts a faculty-led fracture conference that includes numerous case studies on injuries assessed by department physicians during the previous week. -Core curriculum. On Tuesdays, faculty host a conference on a specific orthopaedic topic as part of the core curriculum. -Grand Rounds. On Wednesdays, the department hosts Grand Rounds sessions, which include presentations from visitor professors, faculty lectures, and Quality Assurance Conferences. -Service-specific meetings. Each Thursday, the department meets for small-group discussions on topics from each service offered by the department. -Basic science and anatomy. On Fridays, the department holds sessions on musculoskeletal anatomy and physiology. |
AuthorAn orthopedic surgeon with a specialization in hand and upper extremity surgery, Bobby Chhabra currently splits his time between various teaching and clinical responsibilities at the University of Virginia. Archives
May 2017
Categories
All
|