Andrew David Pearle MD

Dr. Andrew D. Pearle is Chief of Sports Medicine at HSS. He is a board-certified orthopedic surgeon specializing in sports medicine. Dr. Pearle's clinical interests include arthroscopic and robotic surgery of the shoulder, knee, and ankle. He is Director of the Computer Assisted Surgery Center at HSS and Editor-in-Chief of the Orthopedic Journal Techniques in Knee Surgery. A graduate of Amherst College and Stanford Medical School, Dr. Andrew Pearle completed training in orthopedic surgery and sports medicine at Hospital for Special Surgery. After 9/11, he traveled to Hadassah Hospital in Jerusalem during the height of the intifada to assist in the care of terror victims. While participating in this care, Dr. Pearle was inspired by the pioneering use of computer-assisted surgery (CAS) at Hadassah. "Hadassah surgeons modified computer-assisted surgery tools designed for the spine, and applied the technology to remove shrapnel," he recalls.

Dr. Pearle was recruited as an attending orthopedic surgeon at HSS and was selected to develop one of the first computer-assisted surgery programs in the United States. Computer-assisted surgery uses navigation, which is like a "GPS for orthopedic surgery," says Dr. Pearle, who is conducting research to bring these techniques from bench to bedside. He has now performed more types of robotic and computer-assisted procedures than any orthopedic surgeon in the country. In addition to his responsibilities at HSS, Dr. Pearle is an Associate Team Physician for the New York Mets and coordinates care for the minor league affiliates including the Brooklyn Cyclones. Dr. Pearle has published more than 90 original manuscripts, predominantly on topics related to ACL reconstruction, robotic partial knee replacement, and computer-assisted surgery.

Dr. Andrew Pearle was one of three keynote speakers at the 2016 American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons (AAOS) Annual Meeting’s “Game Changers Paper Session,” the first-ever event that focused on the importance of game-changers in orthopedics, like the use of robotics during surgery. Dr. Pearle explained the evolution of robotics technology in orthopedic surgery and its impact on surgical outcomes. He also presented ongoing data findings that indicate when partial knee replacement surgery is completed with robotic technologies, revision surgery is less likely to be needed. Through the use of these technologies, orthopedic surgeons at HSS are able to create virtual pre-operative treatment plans to predict surgical outcomes and then execute those plans in the operating room. This form of precision medicine leads to more personalized care and more predictable outcome for patients.