Bio
Dr. Kurtz serves as a part-time associate research professor and director of the Implant Research Center at Drexel University’s School of Biomedical Engineering, Science, and Health Systems. Dr. Kurtz has expertise in the clinical performance of polyethylene, ceramic, and metal-on-metal hip implants. His professional career has involved the evaluation of medical device technologies, from a combined analytical, experimental, and clinical perspective. His research activities have emphasized real-world clinical performance of medical devices, including orthopedic, spine, and cardiovascular implants, as assessed by human implant retrieval specimens and national health care databases; mechanical behavior of synthetic biomaterials; contact mechanics of artificial joints; and structural evaluation of bone-implant systems.
Dr. Kurtz is active in many professional societies, including the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons, the American Association of Hip and Knee Surgeons, the Hip Society, the Knee Society, and the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM). Dr. Kurtz has edited seven books and written over 200 journal articles and 460 conference abstracts. He is the founding editor of two educational websites: the UHMWPE Lexicon (www.uhmwpe.org) and the Medical PEEK Lexicon (www.medicalpeek.org). He has co-edited STP 1560: Metal-on-Metal Total Hip Replacement Devices for the ASTM in 2013 and recently completed the UHMWPE Biomaterials Handbook, 3rd Edition, which will be published in October 2015.
Education
- PhD in Mechanical Engineering, Cornell University, 1995
- MS in Mechanical Engineering, Cornell University, 1992
- BS in Mechanical Engineering, Cornell University (with distinction), 1990
Research Interests
Computational biomechanics of bone-implant systems and impact-related injuries, orthopaedic biomechanics, contact mechanics, orthopaedic biomaterials, large-deformation mechanical behavior and wear of polymers, and degradation and crosslinking of polyolefins in implant applications.
Publications
- Fredette EK, MacDonald DW, Underwood RJ, Chen AF, Mont MA, Lee GC, et al. Does Metal Transfer Differ on Retrieved Ceramic and CoCr Femoral Heads? BioMed research international. 2015; 2015:283038.
- Kurtz SM, MacDonald DW, Gilbert JL, Mont MA, Klein GR, Chen A, Kraay M, Hamlin B, Rimnac CM. Is Taper Fretting Corrosion a Threat to the Clinical Performance of Large-Diameter Hips with HXLPE Bearings? Modularity and Tapers in Total Joint Replacement Devices. ASTM International, STP1591, 2015.
- Day JS, MacDonald DW, Abboud JA, Williams GR, Rimnac CM, Kraay MJ, McCloskey R, Arnholt CM, Kurtz SM. Mechanically Assisted Crevice Corrosion Damage in Total Shoulder Arthroplasty is Comparable to Total Hip Arthroplasty. Modularity and Tapers in Total Joint Replacement Devices. ASTM International, STP1591, 2015.
- Arnholt CM, Underwood RJ, MacDonald DW, Higgs GB, Chen A, Klein GR, Hamlin B, Lee GC, Mont MA, Cates H, Malkani A, Rimnac CM, Kurtz SM. Micro-grooved Surface Topography Does Not Influence Fretting Corrosion of Tapers in THA: Classification and Retrieval Analysis. Modularity and Tapers in Total Joint Replacement Devices. ASTM International, STP1591, 2015.
- Hanzlik JA, Day JS, Rimnac CM, Kurtz SM and the Ingrowth retrieval study group. Is There A Difference in Bone Ingrowth in Modular Versus Monoblock Porous Tantalum Tibial Trays? Journal of Arthoplasty. In press.
- Kurtz SM, MacDonald DW, Mont MA, Parvizi J, Malkani AL, Hozack W. Retrieval analysis of sequentially annealed highly crosslinked polyethylene used in total hip arthroplasty. Clin Orthop Relat Res. 2015; 473:962-71.
- Agne MT, Underwood RJ, Kocagoz SB, MacDonald DW, Day JS, Parvizi J, Kraay MJ, Mont MA, Klein GR, Cates HE, Kurtz SM. Is there material loss at the backside taper in modular CoCr acetabular liners? Clin Orthop Relat Res. 2015; 473:275-85.
- Gilbert JL, Sivan S, Liu Y, Kocagoz SB, Arnholt CM, Kurtz SM. Direct in vivo inflammatory cell-induced corrosion of CoCrMo alloy orthopedic implant surfaces. J Biomed Mater Res A, 2015; 103: 211-23.
- Medel F, Kurtz S, MacDonald D, Pascual FJ, Puertolas JA. Does cyclic stress play a role in highly crosslinked polyethylene oxidation? Clin Orthop Relat Res. 2015; 473:1022-9.
- Veruva SY, Lanman TH, Isaza JE, MacDonald DW, Kurtz SM, Steinbeck MJ. UHMWPE wear debris and tissue reactions are reduced for contemporary designs of lumbar total disc replacements. Clin Orthop Relat Res. 2015; 473:987-98.
- Kurtz SM. Editorial Comment: Advances in UHMWPE Biomaterials. Clin Orthop Relat Res. 2015; 473:926-7.
Book Chapters
- Kurtz SM, MacDonald DW, Gilbert JL, Mont MA, Klein GR, Chen A, Kraay M, Hamlin B, Rimnac CM. Is Taper Fretting Corrosion a Threat to the Clinical Performance of Large-Diameter Hips with HXLPE Bearings? Modularity and Tapers in Total Joint Replacement Devices. ASTM International, STP1591, 2015.
- Day JS, MacDonald DW, Abboud JA, Williams GR, Rimnac CM, Kraay MJ, McCloskey R, Arnholt CM, Kurtz SM. Mechanically Assisted Crevice Corrosion Damage in Total Shoulder Arthroplasty is Comparable to Total Hip Arthroplasty. Modularity and Tapers in Total Joint Replacement Devices. ASTM International, STP1591, 2015.
- Arnholt CM, Underwood RJ, MacDonald DW, Higgs GB, Chen A, Klein GR, Hamlin B, Lee GC, Mont MA, Cates H, Malkani A, Rimnac CM, Kurtz SM. Micro-grooved Surface Topography Does Not Influence Fretting Corrosion of Tapers in THA: Classification and Retrieval Analysis. Modularity and Tapers in Total Joint Replacement Devices. ASTM International, STP1591, 2015.
- Higgs GB, MacDonald DW, Mihalko WM, Siskey RL, Gilbert JL, Rimnac CM, Kurtz SM. A Pilot Study Characterizing Taper Interface Integrity and Its Relationship with Taper Damage in Retrieved Femoral Components of Total Hip Replacement Devices. Modularity and Tapers in Total Joint Replacement Devices. ASTM International, STP1591, 2015.