Dr. El-Gazzar’s life experiences give him a unique advantage as a physician: “I have undergone 7 major surgeries in my lifetime. I developed a unique endocrine tumor, called a pheochromacytoma, which secreted adrenaline at the age of 13 years old. It took 7 open abdominal exploratory surgeries to remove the recurring tumors, supplemented with nuclear and chemotherapy to be cured, the last surgery being in 2011. Each surgery was accompanied by fear and anxiety, followed by intense pain and rehab. I know what it means to be scared to the point that it takes over all of your senses as you are being told that you should undergo a major procedure. The uncertainty of what is actually being done to you and what the outcome will be can feel suffocating. You have a life, plans, and goals that now fall out of focus. I believe that understanding this process first hand has given me the advantage and ability to communicate with patients and help them truly understand the diagnosis, treatment options, and most importantly, the road to rehabilitation and returning to everyday life. I have had many negative experiences with surgeons who did not explain things to me, were short and abrupt with me, and made me feel that they really didn’t care. My life’s and professional career’s mission is to never make a patient feel the way I did”.

“I believe that joint preservation is the future of orthopedic surgery”. Damage to the cartilaginous surfaces of joints does not repair itself in adults. The inability of the human body to regenerate or repair joint surface cartilage continues to be a modern day mystery. Damage to cartilage surfaces can occur via two main mechanisms: There is the wear that comes with age, commonly known as degenerative arthritis or osteoarthritis and there is the damage that occurs as a result of a traumatic event or during sports. As we strive to become more active and live healthier, it is inevitable that sports injuries occur more frequently. Patients now have many options in how to treat this damage.