Seth S. Leopold, MD
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Seth S. Leopold, MD
Medical Specialties
- Hip surgery
- Knee surgery
- Arthritis surgery
- Orthopedic surgery
- Telehealth services
Locations
Languages
- English
- French
- Spanish
Patient Ratings and Reviews
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Dr. Leopold is a star, and cares about patient care. He's my main man in the UW system.
The care and concern given is always in the "above and beyond" category. Completing a survey cannot accurately and completely convey the level of excellence provided in every category available.
Best doctor visit I have experienced in my short life span of 75 years!
Dr. Leopold's listening ear shows how compassionate he is about providing the best care for me as a patient. He is open, honest and genuine in his guidance. I am fortunate to have him on my medical team.
Dr Leopold was compassionate and gave me a second opinion on a knee surgery that was extremely helpful. He was direct and explained his recommendation thoroughly. I am most appreciative of his consultation.
Dr. Leopold. He's the best!!
Dr. Leopold is the best orthopedic doctor.
[...]Dr. Leopold did not disappoint. He is as compassionate as his bio presents him to be. He is a patient first practitioner. I am thankful for his time and care he gave to me and my medical needs. I arrived with questions and in chromic discomfort. I left with answers to all my questions, education to my medical needs, relief from my discomfort and most of all a medical home I can rely on in my future as needed.
My doctor address me as a person, not as an extension of my well-check limb. It was extremely helpful.
Highly recommend Seth Leopold!
[...] Dr. Leopold and his team were great - really the best care experience I have ever had, I wish all my doctors were like that!! [...]
Dr. Leopold is an excellent physician. His understanding of my concerns and explaining my options and risks helped me think more clearly about the direction I should take. I really appreciate the level of information he provided. Thanks
The entire experience was excellent. That includes the assistant [...] and of course Dr Leopold himself. [...]
Dr. Leopold is excellent at listening and at explaining the situation and next steps. I appreciate being able to consult with him because of his his experience and care.
Dr Leopold is an exceptional physician. He is thorough, very knowledgeable, highly experienced, and kind. I would recommend him to my family members and closest friends.
Dr. Loepold provides honest counsel in making challenging decisions on future treatment. I continue to see him because of his knowledge, facts and perspective. I appreciate his conservative view of surgery as the solution to my challenges
Dr. Leopold was a delight. He was knowledgeable, compassionate, relatable, and thorough. His immediate follow up with another provider was most appreciated, as was his follow up call to ensure I understood about the need for and use of a cane pending surgery. That was impressive.
About Seth S. Leopold
Seth S. Leopold, MD, has been doing surgery on patients with hip and knee arthritis—and those who have painful or problematic joint replacements of the hip and knee—for more than 20 years. In 2021, he stopped doing surgery, as most of his time now is spent as the editor-in-chief of a large international scientific journal (Clinical Orthopaedics and Related Research).
In order to continue to serve patients with the clinical time he has available, he now focuses on helping patients make complicated decisions in a way that puts their values and interests front-and-center. Since he will not be the person performing the operation (if surgery turns out to be the patient’s choice), patients can trust the advice he gives.
The most-common questions he tries to help patients answer include:
- Is joint replacement right for me?
- How do the risks balance out against the rewards of joint replacement surgery?
- Have I overlooked potentially useful nonsurgical approaches or ways to adapt to my condition that can help me avoid the risk and time off associated with surgery?
- My joint replacement has not worked out as well as I’d hoped (it’s painful, it’s stiff, it dislocates or feels unstable, it’s infected, etc.); should I have another operation on it to try to make it better?
As the editor-in-chief of a leading international journal, he is current on the best-available evidence, which he uses to try to help patients arrive at choices that are consistent with their values. If you have questions about your arthritic hip or knee, or if you have a joint replacement that is bothering you and would like a second opinion about whether surgery would likely improve on what you have, he is happy to try to help. He seeks to strike a balance of education, empathy, and partnership that will best serve each individual whose life he is privileged to touch.
Personal Interests
Dr. Leopold is an avid sea kayaker, an aerobatic pilot, an ex-boxer, and a terrible jazz piano player. He enjoys reading good fiction. He has two college-age daughters; he married his high-school sweetheart and feels lucky that she still puts up with him some 30 years later.
Education and Training
-
Cornell University Medical CollegeMedical education, 1993Univ. of Chicago HospitalsResidency, Orthopaedic SurgeryUniv. of Chicago HospitalsInternship, SurgeryRush-Presbyterian-St. Luke's Medical CenterFellowship, Joint Replacement
Board Certifications
- Orthopaedic Surgery, 2001, American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery