During the first quarter of 2025, Becker’s reported on five orthopedic surgeons who died.
1. Edward Klein, DO, an orthopedic surgeon with Dartmouth, Mass.-based Hawthorn Medical, died Jan. 2. Dr. Klein practiced at Hawthorn Medical for more than 22 years and specialized in joint replacements, arthroscopic surgery, arthritis management and fracture care.
2. Robert Boyd, MD, a former chief of the spine service at Boston-based Massachusetts General Hospital, died at age 94. He worked at Massachusetts General Hospital for four decades and spent the last 20 years of his tenure as chief of the spine service. His research focused on vascular implants for hip avascular necrosis and prophylactic antibiotics in orthopedics.
3. University of Minnesota orthopedic surgeon Ramon Gustilo, MD, has died at age 94. Dr. Gustilo holds the title of “father of orthopedics” in the Philippines, his home country. He completed a medical residency at the University of Minnesota in 1964,and stayed to practice in the U.S. He is known for developing a system for classifying open fractures. He performed more than 5,000 hip, knee and joint replacements during his career.
4. Pierre Clothiaux, MD, a Springfield, Mo.-based orthopedic surgeon, died of natural causes Feb. 18 at age 68. He first completed his orthopedic residency at Rochester, Minn.-based Mayo Clinic before a fellowship at Harvard University under Gus White at Beth-Israel Hospital in Boston.
5. William “Butch” Mulherin, MD, founder of Athens (Ga.) Orthopedic Clinic, died at age 90. Dr. Mulherin founded Athens Orthopedic in 1996 with two exam rooms, the March 27 report said. Since then, the practice grew to 78 total providers. The practice’s ASC is named the William B. Mulherin Surgery Center in his honor.
