In 2025, Becker’s reported on 13 spine and orthopedic surgeons who died including pioneers in the specialties and leaders.
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.
6. Peter Sultan, MD, an orthopedic surgeon at Peconic Bay Medical Center in Riverhead, N.Y., died July 13 at age 54.
“Peter was one of Long Island’s top orthopedic surgeons,” the hospital’s former President and CEO Andrew Mitchell, said in a Riverhead Local report. “He truly cared about his patients, the East End communities where he lived, and the continued advancement of PBMC into a highly regarded regional medical center.”
7. Orthopedic surgeon and longtime New York Mets team physician David Altchek, MD, has died.
“Known for his technical brilliance and pioneering work in orthopedic surgery, Dr. Altchek had a profoundly positive impact on our organization,” a LinkedIn post from New York City-based Hospital for Special Surgery, said. “His legacy endures among the thousands of grateful patients whose lives he touched with skill and compassion, and among the many surgeons around the world who carry forward his knowledge and example.”
8. Walter Badenhausen Jr., MD, a longtime orthopedic surgeon in Louisville, Ky., died Aug. 29 at age 96. He was a co-founder of Ellis & Badenhausen Orthopaedics, which has provided orthopedic and sports medicine care for nearly 50 years.
9. Orthopedic surgeon Chitranjan Ranawat, MD, had died, Hospital for Special Surgery announced Sept. 29. Dr. Ranawat was an alumnus of New York City-based Hospital for Special Surgery where he completed fellowships in reconstructive and hand surgery.
“Dr. Ranawat’s contributions to joint replacement surgery are legendary,” Hospital for Special Surgery said in its post. “He was instrumental in the design and development of numerous implants which improved the lives of countless patients. Dr. Ranawat’s vision, mentorship, and humanity will be missed by all who had the privilege to know him.”
10. Spine surgeon Harry Shufflebarger, MD, died. Dr. Shufflebarger treated thousands of children, founded the Harms Study Group and was president of the Scoliosis Research Society.
“Some of my favorite memories are the dinners we shared or being called up in the middle of an OR day to see patients he is referring to me,” Arun Hariharan, MD, a spine surgeon with Paley Orthopedic & Spine Institute, said in a LinkedIn post. “The conversation inevitably drifted to fishing and the stories and advice that came with it.”
11. The global spine community is remembering endoscopic spine leader Ralf Wagner, MD, who died. In his career, Dr. Wagner, 52, was a key figure in advancing endoscopic techniques and trained surgeons in Europe and beyond, Eurospine said in a LinkedIn post.
“Beyond his professional excellence, Dr. Wagner will be remembered for his warmth, kindness, and dedication to his colleagues and students,” Eurospine’s post said. “He created a welcoming environment for learning, and his mentorship left a profound impact on those fortunate enough to work alongside him.”
12. James Doty, MD, a neurosurgeon with Stanford (Calif.) Medicine, died at age 69, according to an Oct. 1 announcement. He joined Stanford Medicine in 1997 as a faculty member in the neurosurgery department. He also served as Stanford Hospital and Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital Stanford, as chief of complex spine surgery.
13. Orthopedic surgeon Lyle Micheli, MD, director emeritus of Boston Children’s sports medicine division, died at age 85, the hospital said in a Dec. 17 announcement. Dr. Micheli co-founded the nation’s first sports medicine clinic for young athletes at Boston Children’s, and that be came the hospital’s sports medicine division. Under his leadership he became a pioneer in children’s sports care.
