Samuel S. Wellman | Scholars@Duke

Samuel S. Wellman
Assistant Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery

My career has primarily focused on clinical care of hip and knee arthritis. I run a busy Adult Reconstruction (hip and knee replacement) practice. I am also Chief of the Orthopedic Surgery service at the Durham VA medical center. In these roles, I work daily with orthopedic residents, and train them to manage these issues both non-operatively and with surgery. I also mentor residents, fellows,and medical students on their research projects, typically in collaboration with my clinical partner, Michael Bolognesi, MD. We often have multiple residents working on a variety of projects at once. My research interests lie mainly with clinical research in hip and knee replacement, including biomechanical studies, outcomes research, and clinical trials. I have also begun collaborating with basic science colleagues on biomarker research

Current Appointments & Affiliations

Assistant Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery, Orthopaedics, Orthopaedics 2008

Contact Information

4709 Creekstone Drive, Suite 200, Durham, NC 27703
Box 3447 Med Ctr, Durham, NC 27710
samuel.wellman@duke.edu (919) 684-6166
Wellman CV

Background
Education, Training, & Certifications
- M.D., Duke University 2002
Research
Selected Grants
- Triathalon Tritanium Knee System awarded by Stryker Orthopaedics 2015 - 2027
- Secure Fit Advance Outcomes Study awarded by Stryker Orthopaedics 2013 - 2024
- PMA Post-Approval Study for 36mm Cermax Ceramic Hip System awarded by DePuy Orthopaedics, Inc. 2013 - 2020
- Fresh Tissue Lab Agreement awarded by Crosslink Orthopaedics 2018
- Preoperatvie Antibiotic Dosing for Total Knee Arthroplasty: Intraosseous versus Systemic Infusion awarded by PerSys Medical 2015
Publications & Artistic Works
Selected Publications
- Book Sections
  - Karas, V, Millikan, P, and Wellman, S. "Long-Term result of hip decompression and vascularized fibula for steinberg stage IV AVN." In Osteonecrosis of the Femoral Head: A Clinical Casebook, 157-173. April 12, 2017. Full Text
- Conference Papers
  - Hsueh, M-F, Lu, Y, Wheeler, L, Wellman, S, Bolognesi, M, and Kraus, V. "Functional folate receptor cells within synovium and fluid as therapeutic targets for osteoarthritis." April 2017. Full Text
- Journal Articles
  - Nickel, BT, Klement, MR, Byrd, WA, Attarian, DE, Seyler, TM, and Wellman, SS. "Battling the Opioid Epidemic With Prospective Pain Threshold Measurement." The Journal of arthroplasty (February 21, 2018). Full Text
  - Klement, MR, Nickel, BT, Bala, A, Penrose, CT, Green, CL, Wellman, SS, Bolognesi, MP, and Seyler, TM. "Dual Diagnosis and Total Hip Arthroplasty." Orthopedics (February 16, 2018): 1-7. Full Text
  - Kleeman, LT, Bala, A, Penrose, CT, Seyler, TM, Wellman, SS, and Bolognesi, MP. "Comparison of Postoperative Complications Following Metal-on-Metal Total Hip Arthroplasty With Other Hip Bearings in Medicare Population." The Journal of arthroplasty (February 5, 2018). Full Text
  - Hobbs, JC, Welsby, IJ, Green, CL, Dhakal, IB, and Wellman, SS. "Epsilon Aminocaproic Acid to Reduce Blood Loss and Transfusion After Total Hip and Total Knee Arthroplasty." The Journal of arthroplasty 33, no. 1 (January 2018): 55-60. Full Text
  - Newman, ET, Herschmiller, TA, Attarian, DE, Vail, TP, Bolognesi, MP, and Wellman, SS. "Risk Factors, Outcomes, and Timing of Manipulation Under Anesthesia After Total Knee Arthroplasty." The Journal of arthroplasty 33, no. 1 (January 2018): 245-249. Full Text
  - Klement, MR, Peres-Da-Silva, A, Nickel, BT, Green, CL, Wellman, SS, Attarian, DE, Bolognesi, MP, and Seyler, TM. "What Should Define Preoperative Anemia in Primary THA?." Clinical orthopaedics and related research 475, no. 11 (November 2017): 2683-2691. Full Text
  - Wellman, SS, Klement, MR, and Queen, RM. "Performance comparison of single-radius versus multiple-curve femoral component in total knee arthroplasty: A prospective, randomized study using the lower quarter Y-balance test." Orthopedics 40, no. 6 (November 1, 2017): e1074-e1080. (Review) Full Text
  - Newman, ET, Herschmiller, TA, Attarian, DE, Vail, TP, Bolognesi, MP, and Wellman, SS. "Response to Letter to the Editor on "Risk Factors, Outcomes, and Timing of Manipulation Under Anesthesia After Total Knee Arthroplasty"." The Journal of arthroplasty (October 5, 2017). (Letter) Full Text
  - Cunningham, DJ, Kavolus, JJ, Bolognesi, MP, Wellman, SS, and Seyler, TM. "Common Medical Comorbidities Correlated With Poor Outcomes in Hip Periprosthetic Infection." The Journal of arthroplasty 32, no. 9S (September 2017): S241-S245.e3. Full Text
  - Sutter, EG, McClellan, TR, Attarian, DE, Bolognesi, MP, Lachiewicz, PF, and Wellman, SS. "Outcomes of Modular Dual Mobility Acetabular Components in Revision Total Hip Arthroplasty." The Journal of arthroplasty 32, no. 9S (September 2017): S220-S224. Full Text
  - Evans, JL, Nadler, JW, Preud'homme, XA, Fang, E, Daughtry, RL, Chapman, JB, Attarian, D, Wellman, S, and Krystal, AD. "Pilot prospective study of post-surgery sleep and EEG predictors of post-operative delirium." Clinical neurophysiology : official journal of the International Federation of Clinical Neurophysiology 128, no. 8 (August 2017): 1421-1425. Full Text
  - Wooster, BM, Nickel, BT, Neumann, JA, Lindsay, DR, and Wellman, SS. "Reproducible transient asystolic arrest during intramedullary reaming of the femoral canal: A case report." Journal of clinical orthopaedics and trauma 8, no. Suppl 1 (August 2017): S58-S61. Full Text
  - Cunningham, DJ, Kavolus, JJ, Bolognesi, MP, Wellman, SS, and Seyler, TM. "Specific Infectious Organisms Associated With Poor Outcomes in Treatment for Hip Periprosthetic Infection." The Journal of arthroplasty 32, no. 6 (June 2017): 1984-1990.e5. Full Text
  - Nadler, JW, Evans, JL, Fang, E, Preud'Homme, XA, Daughtry, RL, Chapman, JB, Bolognesi, MP, Attarian, DE, Wellman, SS, and Krystal, AD. "A randomised trial of peri-operative positive airway pressure for postoperative delirium in patients at risk for obstructive sleep apnoea after regional anaesthesia with sedation or general anaesthesia for joint arthroplasty." Anaesthesia 72, no. 6 (June 2017): 729-736. Full Text
  - Peres-da-Silva, A, Kleeman, LT, Wellman, SS, Green, CL, Attarian, DE, Bolognesi, MP, and Seyler, TM. "What Factors Drive Inpatient Satisfaction After Knee Arthroplasty?." The Journal of arthroplasty 32, no. 6 (June 2017): 1769-1772. Full Text
  - Klement, MR, Hubbard, EW, Wellman, SS, and Lachiewicz, PF. "Acute Intraprosthetic Dissociation of a Dual-Mobility Hip in the United States." American journal of orthopedics (Belle Mead, N.J.) 46, no. 3 (May 2017): E154-E159.
  - Klement, MR, Penrose, CT, Bala, A, Green, CL, Mather, RC, Wellman, SS, Bolognesi, MP, and Seyler, TM. "Complications of total hip arthroplasty following solid organ transplantation." Journal of orthopaedic science : official journal of the Japanese Orthopaedic Association 22, no. 2 (March 2017): 295-299. Full Text
  - Klement, MR, Nickel, BT, Penrose, CT, Bala, A, Green, CL, Wellman, SS, Bolognesi, MP, and Seyler, TM. "Psychiatric disorders increase complication rate after primary total knee arthroplasty." The Knee 23, no. 5 (October 2016): 883-886. Full Text
  - Penrose, CT, Seyler, TM, Wellman, SS, Bolognesi, MP, and Lachiewicz, PF. "Complications Are Not Increased With Acetabular Revision of Metal-on-metal Total Hip Arthroplasty." Clinical orthopaedics and related research 474, no. 10 (October 2016): 2134-2142. Full Text
  - Bala, A, Penrose, CT, Seyler, TM, Randell, TR, Wellman, SS, and Bolognesi, MP. "Is Metal-On-Metal Total Hip Arthroplasty Associated With Neurotoxicity?." The Journal of arthroplasty 31, no. 9 Suppl (September 2016): 233-236.e1. Full Text
  - Klement, MR, Bala, A, Blizzard, DJ, Wellman, SS, Bolognesi, MP, and Seyler, TM. "Should We Think Twice About Psychiatric Disease in Total Hip Arthroplasty?." The Journal of arthroplasty 31, no. 9 Suppl (September 2016): 221-226. Full Text
  - Richardson, AB, Bala, A, Wellman, SS, Attarian, DE, Bolognesi, MP, and Grant, SA. "Perioperative Dexamethasone Administration Does Not Increase the Incidence of Postoperative Infection in Total Hip and Knee Arthroplasty: A Retrospective Analysis." The Journal of arthroplasty 31, no. 8 (August 2016): 1784-1787. Full Text
  - Bala, A, Penrose, CT, Seyler, TM, Mather, RC, Wellman, SS, and Bolognesi, MP. "Computer-Navigated Total Knee Arthroplasty Utilization." The journal of knee surgery 29, no. 5 (July 2016): 430-435. Full Text
  - Ledford, CK, Millikan, PD, Nickel, BT, Green, CL, Attarian, DE, Wellman, SS, Bolognesi, MP, and Queen, RM. "Percent Body Fat Is More Predictive of Function After Total Joint Arthroplasty Than Body Mass Index." The Journal of bone and joint surgery. American volume 98, no. 10 (May 2016): 849-857. Full Text
  - Jennings, JM, Randell, TR, Green, CL, Zheng, G, and Wellman, SS. "Independent Evaluation of a Mechanical Hip Socket Navigation System in Total Hip Arthroplasty." The Journal of arthroplasty 31, no. 3 (March 2016): 658-661. Full Text
  - Klement, MR, Penrose, CT, Bala, A, Wellman, SS, Bolognesi, MP, and Seyler, TM. "How Do Previous Solid Organ Transplant Recipients Fare After Primary Total Knee Arthroplasty?." The Journal of arthroplasty 31, no. 3 (March 2016): 609-15.e1. Full Text
  - Bala, A, Penrose, CT, Seyler, TM, Mather, RC, Wellman, SS, and Bolognesi, MP. "Outcomes after Total Knee Arthroplasty for post-traumatic arthritis." The Knee 22, no. 6 (December 2015): 630-639. Full Text
  - Halawi, MJ, Vovos, TJ, Green, CL, Wellman, SS, Attarian, DE, and Bolognesi, MP. "Opioid-Based Analgesia: Impact on Total Joint Arthroplasty." The Journal of arthroplasty 30, no. 12 (December 2015): 2360-2363. Full Text
  - Halawi, MJ, Vovos, TJ, Green, CL, Wellman, SS, Attarian, DE, and Bolognesi, MP. "Current Evidence Does Not Support Medicare's 3-Day Rule in Primary Total Joint Arthroplasty." American journal of orthopedics (Belle Mead, N.J.) 44, no. 10 (October 2015): E370-E372.
  - Halawi, MJ, Vovos, TJ, Green, CL, Wellman, SS, Attarian, DE, and Bolognesi, MP. "Medicare's 3-Day Rule: Time for a Rethink." The Journal of arthroplasty 30, no. 9 (September 2015): 1483-1484. Full Text
  - Millikan, PD, Karas, V, and Wellman, SS. "Treatment of osteonecrosis of the femoral head with vascularized bone grafting." Current reviews in musculoskeletal medicine 8, no. 3 (September 2015): 252-259. Full Text
  - Nickel, BT, Ledford, CK, Watters, TS, Wellman, SS, and Bolognesi, MP. "Arthroplasty in organ transplant patients." Arthroplasty Today 1, no. 2 (June 19, 2015): 41-44. Full Text Open Access Copy
  - Schaeffer, JF, Scott, DJ, Godin, JA, Attarian, DE, Wellman, SS, and Mather, RC. "The Association of ASA Class on Total Knee and Total Hip Arthroplasty Readmission Rates in an Academic Hospital." The Journal of arthroplasty 30, no. 5 (May 2015): 723-727. Full Text
  - Halawi, MJ, Vovos, TJ, Green, CL, Wellman, SS, Attarian, DE, and Bolognesi, MP. "Preoperative pain level and patient expectation predict hospital length of stay after total hip arthroplasty." The Journal of arthroplasty 30, no. 4 (April 2015): 555-558. Full Text Open Access Copy
  - Halawi, MJ, Vovos, TJ, Green, CL, Wellman, SS, Attarian, DE, and Bolognesi, MP. "Patient expectation is the most important predictor of discharge destination after primary total joint arthroplasty." The Journal of arthroplasty 30, no. 4 (April 2015): 539-542. Full Text Open Access Copy
  - Halawi, MJ, Vovos, TJ, Green, CL, Wellman, SS, Attarian, DE, and Bolognesi, MP. "Preoperative predictors of extended hospital length of stay following total knee arthroplasty." The Journal of arthroplasty 30, no. 3 (March 2015): 361-364. Full Text Open Access Copy
  - Halawi, MJ, Vovos, TJ, Green, CL, Wellman, SS, Attarian, DE, and Bolognesi, MP. "Preoperative Predictors of Extended Hospital Length of Stay Following Total Knee Arthroplasty." Journal of Arthroplasty 30, no. 3 (January 1, 2015): 361-364. Full Text
  - Ledford, CK, Vap, AR, Bolognesi, MP, and Wellman, SS. "Total hip arthroplasty in very young bone marrow transplant patients." Journal of surgical orthopaedic advances 24, no. 2 (January 2015): 99-104.
  - Ledford, CK, Ruberte Thiele, RA, Appleton, JS, Butler, RJ, Wellman, SS, Attarian, DE, Queen, RM, and Bolognesi, MP. "Percent body fat more associated with perioperative risks after total joint arthroplasty than body mass index." The Journal of arthroplasty 29, no. 9 Suppl (September 2014): 150-154. Full Text Open Access Copy
  - Ledford, CK, Watters, TS, Wellman, SS, Attarian, DE, and Bolognesi, MP. "Risk versus reward: total joint arthroplasty outcomes after various solid organ transplantations." The Journal of arthroplasty 29, no. 8 (August 2014): 1548-1552. Full Text
  - Newman, ET, Hug, KT, Wellman, SS, Bolognesi, MP, and Kelley, SS. "Custom intramedullary intercalating device for treatment of supracondylar fracture between constrained total knee arthroplasty and well-fixed total hip arthroplasty." Knee 21, no. 2 (March 2014): 594-596. Full Text Link to Item
  - Citak, M, Argenson, J-N, Masri, B, Kendoff, D, Springer, B, Alt, V, Baldini, A, Cui, Q, Deirmengian, GK, Del Sel, H, Harrer, MF, Israelite, CL, Jahoda, D, Jutte, PC, Levicoff, E, Meani, E, Motta, F, Pena, OR, Ranawat, AS, Safir, O, Squire, MW, Taunton, MJ, Vogely, CH, and Wellman, SS. "Spacers." The Journal of arthroplasty 29, no. 2 Suppl (February 2014): 93-99. Full Text
  - Newman, ET, Watters, TS, Lewis, JS, Jennings, JM, Wellman, SS, Attarian, DE, Grant, SA, Green, CL, Vail, TP, and Bolognesi, MP. "Impact of perioperative allogeneic and autologous blood transfusion on acute wound infection following total knee and total hip arthroplasty." The Journal of bone and joint surgery. American volume 96, no. 4 (February 2014): 279-284. Full Text
  - Citak, M, Argenson, J-N, Masri, B, Kendoff, D, Springer, B, Alt, V, Baldini, A, Cui, Q, Deirmengian, GK, del Sel, H, Harrer, MF, Israelite, C, Jahoda, D, Jutte, PC, Levicoff, E, Meani, E, Motta, F, Pena, OR, Ranawat, AS, Safir, O, Squire, MW, Taunton, MJ, Vogely, C, and Wellman, SS. "Spacers." Journal of orthopaedic research : official publication of the Orthopaedic Research Society 32 Suppl 1 (January 2014): S120-S129. Full Text
  - Ledford, CK, Watters, TS, Wellman, SS, Attarian, DE, and Bolognesi, MP. "Outcomes of primary total joint arthroplasty after lung transplantation." Journal of Arthroplasty 29, no. 1 (January 1, 2014): 11-15. Full Text
  - Ledford, CK, Watters, TS, Wellman, SS, Attarian, DE, and Bolognesi, MP. "Risk Versus Reward: Total joint arthroplasty outcomes after Various Solid Organ Transplantations." Journal of Arthroplasty 29, no. 8 (January 1, 2014): 1548-1552. Full Text
  - Ledford, CK, Watters, TS, Wellman, SS, Attarian, DE, and Bolognesi, MP. "Outcomes of primary total joint arthroplasty after lung transplantation." J Arthroplasty 29, no. 1 (January 2014): 11-15. Full Text Link to Item
  - Newman, ET, Hug, KT, Wellman, SS, Bolognesi, MP, and Kelley, SS. "Custom intramedullary intercalating device for treatment of supracondylar fracture between constrained total knee arthroplasty and well-fixed total hip arthroplasty." Knee 21, no. 2 (January 1, 2014): 594-596. Full Text
  - Bolognesi, MP, Greiner, MA, Attarian, DE, Watters, TS, Wellman, SS, Curtis, LH, Berend, KR, and Setoguchi, S. "Unicompartmental knee arthroplasty and total knee arthroplasty among Medicare beneficiaries, 2000 to 2009." J Bone Joint Surg Am 95, no. 22 (November 20, 2013): e174-. Full Text Link to Item
  - Bolognesi, MP, Greiner, MA, Attarian, DE, Watters, TS, Wellman, SS, Curtis, LH, Berend, KR, and Setoguchi, S. "Unicompartmental knee arthroplasty and total knee arthroplasty among medicare beneficiaries, 2000 to 2009." Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery - Series A 95, no. 22 (November 20, 2013). Full Text
  - Bolognesi, MP, Watters, TS, Attarian, DE, Wellman, SS, and Setoguchi, S. "Simultaneous vs staged bilateral total knee arthroplasty among Medicare beneficiaries, 2000-2009." J Arthroplasty 28, no. 8 Suppl (September 2013): 87-91. Full Text Link to Item
  - Attarian, DE, Wahl, JE, Wellman, SS, and Bolognesi, MP. "Developing a high-efficiency operating room for total joint arthroplasty in an academic setting." Clin Orthop Relat Res 471, no. 6 (June 2013): 1832-1836. Full Text Link to Item
  - Hug, KT, Gupta, AK, Wellman, SS, Bolognesi, MP, and Attarian, DE. "Creation of a femoral cortical window to facilitate total hip arthroplasty in patients with sickle cell hemoglobinopathies." J Arthroplasty 28, no. 2 (February 2013): 323-325. Full Text Link to Item
  - Attarian, DE, Wahl, JE, Wellman, SS, and Bolognesi, MP. "Developing a high-efficiency operating room for total joint arthroplasty in an academic setting general." Clinical Orthopaedics and Related Research 471, no. 6 (2013): 1832-1836. Full Text
  - Bolognesi, MP, Watters, TS, Attarian, DE, Wellman, SS, and Setoguchi, S. "Simultaneous vs Staged bilateral total knee arthroplasty among medicare beneficiaries, 2000-2009." Journal of Arthroplasty 28, no. 8 SUPPL (2013): 87-91. Full Text
  - Hug, KT, Gupta, AK, Wellman, SS, Bolognesi, MP, and Attarian, DE. "Creation of a Femoral Cortical Window to Facilitate Total Hip Arthroplasty in Patients with Sickle Cell Hemoglobinopathies." Journal of Arthroplasty 28, no. 2 (2013): 323-325. Full Text
  - Mayer, SW, Wellman, SS, Bolognesi, MP, and Attarian, DE. "Late liner disassociation of a Pinnacle system acetabular component." Orthopedics 35, no. 4 (April 2012): e561-e565. Full Text Link to Item
  - Wellman, SS, and Bono, JV. "Knee fusion with external fixation." Techniques in Knee Surgery 11, no. 2 (2012): 118-121. Full Text
  - Kaufman, AM, Watters, TS, Henderson, RA, Wellman, SS, and Bolognesi, MP. "Citrobacter koseri as a cause of early periprosthetic infection after primary total hip arthroplasty." J Arthroplasty 26, no. 6 (September 2011): 978.e13-978.e16. Full Text Link to Item
  - Wellman, SS, Murphy, AC, Gulcynski, D, and Murphy, SB. "Implementation of an accelerated mobilization protocol following primary total hip arthroplasty: impact on length of stay and disposition." Curr Rev Musculoskelet Med 4, no. 3 (September 2011): 84-90. Full Text Link to Item
  - Watters, TS, Browne, JA, Orlando, LA, Wellman, SS, Urbaniak, JR, and Bolognesi, MP. "Cost-effectiveness analysis of free vascularized fibular grafting for osteonecrosis of the femoral head." J Surg Orthop Adv 20, no. 3 (2011): 158-167. Link to Item
  - Watters, TS, Eward, WC, Hallows, RK, Dodd, LG, Wellman, SS, and Bolognesi, MP. "Pseudotumor with superimposed periprosthetic infection following metal-on-metal total hip arthroplasty: a case report." J Bone Joint Surg Am 92, no. 7 (July 7, 2010): 1666-1669. Full Text Open Access Copy Link to Item
  - Wellman, SS, and Bono, JV. "Knee fusion with external fixation." Techniques in Knee Surgery 8, no. 4 (2009): 235-238. Full Text
  - Easley, M, Looney, C, Wellman, S, and Wilson, J. "Ankle arthrodesis using ring external fixation." Techniques in Foot and Ankle Surgery 5, no. 3 (2006): 150-163. Full Text

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Education, Training, & Certifications

Selected Grants

Selected Publications

Book Sections

Conference Papers

Journal Articles