Cedars-Sinai has appointed orthopedic surgeon-scientist Patrick Whitlock, MD, PhD, as director of Hip Preservation in the Department of Orthopaedics and as an orthopedic surgeon at Cedars-Sinai Guerin Children’s. The dual appointments will allow Whitlock to care for a variety of patients—children, adolescents and adults—with hip-related conditions and structural problems.

“We extend a warm welcome to Dr. Whitlock, who brings to our team years of extensive clinical and research expertise in hip preservation, a rapidly growing subspecialty field,” said Mark Vrahas, MD, chair of Orthopaedics at Cedars-Sinai. “Dr. Whitlock has a reputation for providing superior individualized care and treatment for young people with hip pain and damaged hip structures, helping preserve the natural hip joint and restoring normal hip function to help delay or prevent future hip replacement surgery.”

Whitlock is one of the few specialists in the U.S. skilled at performing periacetabular osteotomy (PAO), a complex surgery to treat hip dysplasia, a condition in which the hip socket is not shaped to support the upper part of the thigh bone.

Whitlock also is an expert in the treatment of slipped capital femoral epiphysis, a condition in which the top of the thigh bone slips out of position; hip impingement, in which the bones of the hip joint fit together improperly; Perthes disease, a rare childhood condition in which blood supply to the head of the thigh bone is interrupted; and large osteochondral defects of the hip using osteochondral allograft tissue. He also has special expertise in pediatric orthopedic trauma. 

“Dr. Whitlock is an excellent addition to our Pediatric Orthopaedic Program, bringing a specific skillset and knowledge of hip treatments that can help prevent progression of arthritis,” said David Skaggs, MD, executive vice chair of Orthopaedics at Cedars-Sinai, co-director of the Cedars-Sinai Spine Center and director of Pediatric Orthopaedics at Cedars-Sinai Guerin Children’s. “His expertise further emphasizes our commitment to addressing the unique orthopedic needs of children and adolescents who need early interventions using the most innovative treatments.”

In his research, Whitlock develops materials from natural sources to treat avascular necrosis and osteochondral defects—conditions that can cause significant joint pain and dysfunction. He has authored numerous studies published in high-impact, peer-reviewed medical journals and has presented his work at national and international orthopedics conferences.

Whitlock joins Cedars-Sinai from Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, where he was co-director of the Hip Preservation Program, associate professor in the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery at the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine and associate professor of Clinical-Affiliate Biomedical Engineering at the University of Cincinnati College of Engineering and Applied Science.

“It is a privilege to be part of the exceptional orthopaedics team at Cedars-Sinai and Guerin Children’s—among the best in the U.S. for improving musculoskeletal health,” Whitlock said. “I look forward to helping more patients feel better, move better and avoid additional challenges with their hips as they get older.”

Whitlock earned his medical degree from Drexel University College of Medicine and his doctorate in chemical and materials engineering from the University of Cincinnati College of Engineering. He completed his medical residency at Wake Forest University Health Sciences and fellowships in pediatric orthopaedic surgery at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles as well as the Maurice E. Muller Foundation of North America European Traveling Fellowship in Hip Reconstruction in Switzerland, Denmark and Italy.

Whitlock was named an Emerging Leader by the American Orthopaedic Association. In 2022, he received the William Harris Foundation Career Development Award in Hip Surgery-ANCHOR (Academic Network of Conservational Outcomes Research), established by the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery at Washington University to facilitate training and career development in hip preservation.

Read more on the Cedars-Sinai Blog: Hip Health – Expert Guidance on Maintaining Your Joints