Paul Tornetta, III, MD
Professor, Vice-Chairman, Residency Program Director
Dr. Paul Tornetta is a Professor, Vice Chairman, and Residency Program Director in the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, at Boston University School of Medicine and the Director of Orthopaedic Trauma for the Boston Medical Center. He earned his medical degree and completed his internship and orthopaedic residency training at the State University of New York Health Science Center at Brooklyn, in Brooklyn, New York. Following a fellowship in pelvic and acetabular fractures with Dr. Joel Matta in Los Angeles, CA, Dr. Tornetta was appointed the Director of Orthopaedic Trauma at Kings County Hospital Center and the University Hospital of Brooklyn where he was the Residency Coordinator and Director of Research.
Dr. Tornetta is devoted to teaching orthopaedic residents and improving the quality of patient care through research. His research interests focus on both the clinical and technical aspects of orthopaedic trauma surgery and the injured patient. His current studies involve elderly injury patterns, fracture healing, and minimally invasive surgery.
A former President of the Orthopaedic Trauma Association, he is currently the Chairman of the Strategic Planning & Board Development Committee for the Orthopaedic Trauma Association. He is appointed to the Instructional Course Committee and the Guidelines Oversight Committee of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. He serves as an associate editor for the Journal of Orthopaedic Trauma and as an editor and reviewer for the Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery, Clinical Orthopaedics and Related Research, Journal of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, and the Journal of Trauma.
Dr. Tornetta is one of the leading clinical scientists in the field of orthopaedic trauma, his academic accomplishments are numerous and Boston Magazine names him a Top Doctor. He is an avid runner and card-carrying member of Dunkin Donuts.
Specialty
Orthopaedic Trauma
Office Address
Boston Medical Center
850 Harrison Avenue, Dowling 2 North
Boston, MA 02118
Patient Appointments/Referrals
Patients should call the Orthopaedic Scheduler at 617-414-4865 to schedule an appointment.
Referring physicians should call the Clinical Coordinator at 617-414-5794 for consultation or transfers.
Out of state referring physicians should call 877-303-1234 for consultations and transfers.
Medical School and Graduation Year
MD, 1987
State University of New York
Health Science Center at Brooklyn, Brooklyn, New York
Residency, Specialty, and Graduation Year
1987 – 1988
Intern, General Surgery
State University of New York – Health Science Center at Brooklyn
Brooklyn, New York
1988 – 1992
Resident, Orthopaedic Surgery
State University of New York – Health Science Center at Brooklyn
Brooklyn, New York
Residency Fellowship, Specialty, and Graduation Year
1992 – 1993
Fellow, Acetabular and Pelvic Fractures
Hospital of the Good Samaritan
Los Angeles, California
Board Certification, Year Received
American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery
1995
Research/Clinical Interests
Trauma and complex articular fractures
Fracture healing
Minimally invasive surgery
Fractures in the elderly
Awards and Honors
Robert E. Leach Resident Teaching Award, 1999, 2000, 2007
Bovill Award recipient, 2006 and 2007
Boston Magazine Top Doctor, 2005-2008
Listed in the “Best Doctors in America”, 2002
ABC (American British Canadian) Traveling Fellowship Award, 2001
Scientific Collaborations
OTRC, Orthopaedic Trauma Research Consortium
SPRINT
HEALTH
103 National Scientific Presentations
12 International Scientific Presentations
76 Poster Presentations
Publications
149 Peer Reviewed Publications
1 Russell TA,Leighton RK Bucholz RW,Tornetta P 3rd,Cornell CN,Agnew S,Ostrum RF,Berrey BH,Davison B,Gruen TA,Vrahas MS,Jones AL,Pollak A,O’Brien P,Varecka TF,Goulet JA.: Comparison of autogenous bone graft and endothermic calcium phosphate cement for defect augmentation in tibial plateau fractures. A multicenter, prospective, randomized study. J Bone Joint Surg Am.2008 Oct;90(10):2057-61
2. Bajammal, S.; Zlowodzki, M.; Lelwica, A.; Tornetta, III, P.; Einhorn T.A.; Buckley, R.; Leighton, R.; Russell, T.A.; Larsson, S.; Bhandari, M.: The Use of Calcium Phosphate Bone Cement in Fracture Treatment. A Meta-Analysis of Randomized Trials. J Bone Joint Surg Am. 2008;90:1186-1196.
3. Bhandari M, Devereaux PJ, Swiontkowski MF, Tornetta, III P, Obremskey W, Koval K, Sprague S, Schemitsch EH, Guyatt GH. Internal fixation versus arthroplasty in displaced fractures of the femoral neck: a systematic review and meta-analysis J Bone Joint Surg Br Proceedings 90-B: 42-a.
4. Bhandari M, Tornetta, III P. How presenting the risks of fracture surgey to patients influences decision-making.J Bone Joint Surg Br Proceedings 90-B: 10
5. Ziran, B.; Smith, WR.; Anglen, J.; Tornetta, P III.: External Fixation: How To Make it Work: AAOS Instructional Course Lectures, Volume 57 (2008): 32-49
6. Anglen, J.; Baumgaertner, M.; Smith, WR.; Tornetta, P III.; Ziran, B.: Technical Tips in Fracture Care: Fractures of the Hip. AAOS Instructional Course Lectures, Volume57 (2008): 17-24
7. Sung, JK.; Levin, R.; Siegel, J.; Einhorn, TA.; Creevy, WR.; Tornetta, P III: Reuse of External Fixation Components: A Randomized Trial. J Ortho Trauma. (2008) Feb;22(2): 126-30; discussion 130-1
8. Siegel, J.; Tornetta, P III.: Extraperiosteal Plating of Pronation Abduction Ankle Fractures: Surgical Technique. JBJS American (2008) mar; 90 Suppl2:135-44
9. Tornetta, III.P; Boes, M; Schepsis, A. A; Foster, E. T; Bhandari, M; Garcia E: How Effective is a Saline Arthrogram for Wounds around the Knee? Clin Ortho Relat Res. (2008) Feb 466(2):432-5. Epub 2008 Jan 10
10. Sung J., Siegel J., Tornetta, P III, Bhandari, M.: The Orthopaedic Trauma Literature: An Evaluation of Statistically Significant Findings in Orthopaedic Trauma Randomized Trials. BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders. (2008)9:14
11. Kakar, S.; Tornetta, P III.; Schemitsch, EH.; Swiontkowski, M.; Koval, K.; Hanson, BP.; Jonsson, A.; Bhandari, M.; International Hip Fracture Research Collaborative: Technical Consideration in the Operative Management of Femoral Neck Fracture in Elderly Patients: A Multinational Survey. J Trauma (2007) Sept;63(3):641-6
12. Zlowldzki, M.; Poolman, RW.; Kerkhoffs, GM,; Tornetta P III.; Bhandari, M; International Evidence Based Orthopaedic Surgery Working Group: How To Interpret a Meta-Analysis and Judge Its Value as a Guide for Clinical Practice. Acta Orthop. (2007) Oct;78(5):598-609
13. Stark, E.; Tornetta, P III.; Creevy, WR.: Syndesmonic Instability in Weber B Ankle Fractures: A Clinical Evaluation; J Ortho Trauma. (2007) Oct;21(9):643-6
14. Tsiridis, E.; Morgan, EF.; Bancroft, JM.; Song, M.; Kain, M.; Gerstenfeld, L.; Einhorn, TA.; Bouxsein, ML.; Tornetta, P. III: Effects of OP-1 and pTH in a New Experimental Model for the study of Metaphyseal Bone Healing. J. Ortho Research.(2007)Sept.:25(9):1193-203
15. Kakar S., Tornetta P III, Schemitsch EH, Swiontkowski MF, Koval K, Hanson BP, Jonsson A, Bhandari M: International Hip Fracture Collaborative; Technical considerations in the operative management of femoral neck fractures in elderly patients: a multinational survey. J Trauma. 2007 Sep;63(3):641-6. PMID: 18073614
16. Zlowodzki, M.; Poolman, R.W.; Kerkhoffs, G.; Tornetta III, P.; Bhandari, M.: How to interpret a meta-analysis and judge its value as a guide for clinical practice: Acta Orthopaedica 2007; 78 (5): 598-609
17. Ziran, BH.; Smith, WR.; Anlgen, JO.; Tornetta, P III.: External Fixation: How To Make It Work; JBJS American (2007) Jul;89(7):1620-31
18. Kakar, S.; Tornetta, P. III: Segmental Tibia Fractures: A Prospective Evaluation: Clin Orthop Relat Res. (2007) Jul:460;196-201
19. Kakar, S.; Tornetta, P III: Open Fractures of the Tibia Treated by Immediate Intramedullary Tibial Nail Insertion without Reaming: A Prospective Study; J Orho Trauma. (2007) Mar21(3):153-7
20. Siegel, J.; Tornetta, P. III; Borrelli, J. Jr.; Kregor, P.; Ricci, WR.: Locked and Minimally Invasive Plating: Inst. Course Lect.(2007);56:353-68
21. Kakar, S.; Firoozabadi R.; McKean, J.; Tornetta, P. III; Diastolic Blood Pressure in Patients with Tibia Fractures Under Anesthesia: Implications for the Diagnosis of Compartment Syndrome: J Ortho Trauma. (2007) Feb;21(2):99-103
22. Tornetta, P. III; Kain, M.; Creevy, WR.; Diagnosis of Femoral Neck Fractures in Patients with Femoral Shaft Fractures. Improvement with a Standard Protocol: JBJS American (2007)Jan;89(1)39-43
23. Siegel, J.; Tornetta, P. III; Extraperiosteal Plating of Pronation-Abduction Ankle Fractures. JBJS American. (2007) Feb;89(2):276-81
24. Bhandari M, Busse JW, Devereaux PJ,; Montori VM, Swiontkowski M, Tornetta III P,; Einhorn TA, Khera V, Schemistch EH. Factors Associated with Citation Rates in the Orthopedic Literature. Canadian Journal of Surgery. 2007; 50(2): 119-123.
25. Petrisor, B.A.; Pollman, R.; Koval, K.; Tornetta, P 3rd.; Bhandar, M.; Evidence-based Orthopaedic Trauma Working Group: Management of Displaced Ankle Fractures. J. Ortho Trauma. (2006) July;20(7):515-8
26. Morgan, E.; Einhorn, T.; Gerstenfeld, L.; Kain, M.; Tornetta, P.: Effects of OP-1 and PTH in a New Experimental Model for the Study of Metaphyseal Bone Healing. Journal of Orthopaedic Research 2006; ORTRES-D-06-00151R1
27. Hurwitz, S.; Tornetta, P.; Wright, James.: An AOA Clinical Issue How to Read Literature to Change Your Practice: An Evidence Based Medicine Approach. American JBJS 2006; 88:1873-1879.
28. Boes, M.; Kain, M.; Kakar, S.; Nicholls, F.; Cullinane D., Gerstenfeld, L.; Einhorn, T.A.; Tornetta, P. 3rd: Osteogenic Effects of Traumatic Brain Injury on Experimental Fracture Healing. JBJS American. (2006) April; 88(4):738-43
29. Bono, C.M.; Tornetta, P.: Common Errors in the Design of Orthopedic Studies. Injury (2006) April: 37(4):355-60.
30. Bhandari, M.; Dosanjh, S.; Tornetta, P.; Matthews, D.: On Behalf of the Violence Against Women Health Research Collaborative. Musculoskeletal Manifestations of Physical Abuse after Intimate Partner Violence. JTrauma 2006 Dec; 61 (6):1473-9.
For more information on orthopaedic trauma please visit the Orthopaedic Trauma Association’s website at http://www.ota.org.
