S. Robert Rozbruch, M.D.	After graduating Magna Cum Laude from the University of Pennsylvania, he attended Weill Medical College of Cornell University from which he graduated with honors in research. Residency training in Orthopaedic Surgery was followed by two fellowships. He did specialized training in Trauma as an AO fellow at the University of Bern in Switzerland. Additional training in adult and pediactric limb lengthening followed at the Maryland Center for Limb Lengthening & Reconstruction. Dr. Rozbruch is the Director of the Institute for Limb Lengthening & Reconstruction, Chief of the Limb Lengthening amd Deformity Service, and member of the Orthopedic Trauma Service at the Hospital for Special Surgery. He is an Associate Professor of Clinical Orthopaedic Surgery Weill Medical College of Cornell University. He is a member of several national medical societies including fellowship in the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, Orthopaedic Trauma Association, and ASAMI - The Limb Lengthening & Reconstruction Society. He has presented his clinical and research works at national medical meetings and has authored numerous articles in medical journals and chapters in Orthopaedic textbooks. Curriculum Vitae (résumé)
Svetlana Ilizarov, M.D.	Dr. Svetlana Ilizarov was born in Kurgan, Siberia. After graduating from Chelyabinsk Medical School she returned to Kurgan were she was trained by her father Prof. Gavriil A. Ilizarov in Limb Lengthening and Deformity Correction at the Center of Reconstructive Orthopaedics and Trauma (1000 bed Orthopaedic Hospital and Research Institute). She has done clinical research and completed Ph.D. Thesis "Correction of Knee Deformity with Simultaneous Lengthening in Patients with Sequelae of Hematogenic Osteomyelitis of the Distal End of the Femur." She published Surgical Technique Guides on Lower Extremity Lengthening. In the U.S. she had training in Arthroscopy as international fellow at the Hospital for Joint Diseases and completed Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Residency program at Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York. She is board certified physiatrist specializing in Rehabilitation of patients after Ilizarov Surgery. Areas of interest include conservative treatment of other musculoskeletal disorders, Prosthetics/Orthotics, Electrodiagnostic Medicine.
Austin T. Fragomen, M.D.	Dr. Austin Fragomen attended medical school at the State University of New York Downstate College of Medicine. He excelled through a very hands-on surgical internship at Montefiore and Jacobi medical centers in the Bronx. He launched into his orthopaedic residency training program, under John R. Denton, MD, at the Saint Vincent Catholic Medical Center. As chief resident he took a strong interest in fracture care, limb reconstruction, and joint preservation surgery. He then relocated to San Francisco, California to dedicate himself to learning advanced techniques in surgery the of shoulder and knee with pioneer and innovator Eugene M. Wolf, MD. He returned to New York's Hospital for Special Surgery to become their first fellow in Limb Lengthening & Reconstruction Surgery. As an Assistant Attending, he is the newest member of the Hospital's Limb Lengthening & Deformity Service. He has presented his clinical and biomechanical research at medical meetings and has authored and edited articles for various Orthopaedic journals and textbooks. He has lectured extensively on related topics to residency training programs and in the community setting. Skilled in the art of less invasive surgery, Dr. Fragomen will perform a sophisticated and comprehensive analysis of each patient to determine an optimal treatment plan. Whether performing an all-arthroscopic rotator cuff repair or mounting a percutaneous external fixation frame the goal is always to minimize the trauma of surgery and maximize a rapid and functional recovery. Curriculum Vitae (résumé)
Raheel Shafi, MD Limb Lengthening Fellow, 2007-2008	Dr. Raheel Shafi is the clinical fellow on the limb lengthening service. After graduating from Sind Medical College /Univ of Karachi, he completed his general surgery and orthopaedic residency in Karachi, and followed with a Trauma fellowship in Vienna, Austria. Since moving to the United States, Dr. Shafi has participated in both research and clinical fellowships in Plastic surgery, Hand surgery and Adult reconstruction. Outcomes from his research have been presented at international and national meetings including AOA, AAOS, and a full article has been published in J Trauma. 2004; 56(6). Dr. Shafi has a great interest in orthopaedic surgery, Ilizarov, limb lengthening, and deformity correction.
Daniel Bigman, PA-C	Daniel Bigman, PA-C is a Physician Assistant at the Institute for Limb Lengthening & Reconstruction. He attended St. John's University and graduated with his Bachelor of Science. Daniel has spent four years working as a Clinical Pharmacy Technician including involvement in pharmaceutical research. Concurrently, Daniel completed the Saint Vincent Catholic Medical Center Physician Assistant Program (SVCMC). As a clinical student, Daniel focused on Orthopedics and General Surgery at St. John's Queens Hospital & Long Island Jewish/North Shore Hosp Centers. After graduation from the Saint Vincent PA Program, Daniel joined the HSS Limb Lengthening Institute. Daniel is a member of the American Academy of Physician Assistants and the New York State Society of Physician Assistants. He is now most proud of being part of the Limb Lengthening team.
Lisa Halfen, PA-C	Lisa Halfen, PA-C, ATC is a physician assistant on the Limb Lengthening Service. She attended Mercy College where she earned a Master’s degree in physician assistant studies. Prior to attending PA school, Lisa worked as an athletic trainer at Fairleigh Dickinson University and Jericho High School. She earned a Master’s degree in athletic training at Indiana University, and received her Bachelor of Science degree in Athletic Training at The University of Michigan. With her background in athletic training, orthopedics was the area of medicine that interested Lisa most when she was in PA school. After graduating from PA school, Lisa began working at HSS, and is proud to be a part of the limb lengthening team.
Jeremy Rinzler, PA-C	Jeremy Rinzler, PA-C is a physician assistant on the Limb Lengthening Service. He attended Skidmore College and graduated with a degree in Biology-Chemistry.  After two years of teaching Chemistry at Brandeis University, Jeremy attended the Cornell University Physician Assistant program.  While at Cornell, Jeremy focused on orthopedics and completed his senior thesis on the choice of anterior cruciate allograft materials. After graduation from the Cornell PA program, Jeremy joined the HSS limb lengthening team.  In his spare time Jeremy enjoys spending time with his wife and daughter, training for marathons and triathlons, and skiing as much as possible.
Saurabh Khakharia, MD Research Fellow 2007-2008	Dr. Saurabh Khakharia is the Research Fellow in Department of Limb Lengthening and Adult Reconstruction. After graduating with honors from Pt. J. N. M. Medical School in India, he completed his residency training in orthopedic surgery at Gandhi Medical College in Bhopal, India. This was followed by two years of advanced orthopedic surgical training provided by the Diplomate National Board, NBME and a year long fellowship specializing in the knee. In the U.S. he had training in joint replacement as an international fellow at the Hospital for Special Surgery, where he was also actively involved in research. Dr. Khakaria has attended many national and international meetings. He is actively involved in orthopedic research and has published his articles in scientific journals. His interests are Limb Lengthening, Adult Reconstructive surgeries, and Joint replacement. His interest in Ilizarov surgery and deformity correction led him to pursue this fellowship in the United States.
Kira Segal, Research Coordinator	Kira Segal graduated Summa Cum Laude from the University of Pennsylvania, with a BA in psychology, in May 2007. Prior to working as the Research Coordinator in the Institute for Limb Lengthening and Reconstruction, Kira worked as a clinical research assistant during both a summer Fellowship at the Mount Sinai Hospital and throughout her senior year at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania. Results from the study conducted during her fellowship, which analyzed outcomes of a new Glaucoma medication, were presented at the most recent meeting of ARVO. Kira is thrilled to become a part of the Limb Lengthening team!
Philip Wagner, M.D.	Dr. Philip J. Wagner has a special professional interest in providing superb, compassionate intraoperative and post-anesthetic care to Ilizarov patients at the Hospital for Special Surgery Limb Lengthening Institute. He is exceedingly proficient in a variety of safe, comfortable techniques for intraoperative anesthetic care and postoperative pain control. He is a Board-certified Anesthesiologist and Pain Management specialist, and is additionally Board-certified in Internal Medicine. After graduation Cum Laude from Yale University, Dr. Wagner attended the University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry. Finding upstate New York too cold for his tastes, he completed a residency in Internal Medicine in San Diego, California and practiced medicine in Southern California for several years. After returning to Yale for a residency in Anesthesiology, he then completed a prestigious fellowship in pain management at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Institute/Cornell Medical Center/Hospital for Special Surgery. He has a private practice in Pain Management based at the Hospital for Special Surgery, as well as being an operating room anesthesiologist. He is an active member of a number of professional medical and anesthesiology societies, and is an Associate Clinical Professor of Anesthesiology at Weill Medical College of Cornell University. He has lectured extensively on topics related to Pain Management. Learn more about Dr. Wagner: Hospital for Special Surgery - Anesthesiology Department Department Profile on Dr. Wagner
Nazzar Tellisi, MD Former Fellow, 2005-2006	Dr. Tellisi is the Orthopaedic Limb Lengthening Fellow. He attended medical school at Al-Fateh university - Libya. After completing his internship he relocated to the United Kingdom where he received his orthopedic training. He is a fellow of the Royal College of physicians and surgeons-Glasgow. He completed Master degrees in basic and clinical research from the Imperial college-University of London and University of Birmingham respectively. His interest includes Limb lengthening and Reconstruction & foot and ankle Surgery. He has presented at national and international medical meetings and has published several articles in various Orthopedic journals.
Mohammad Khadder, MD Former Fellow, 2006-2007	Dr. Mohammad Khadder is the orthopedic limb lengthening fellow from August 2006-August 2007. He graduated from the Faculty of Medicine-Jordan University in 1996. After an internship year, he started his orthopedic surgery residency program in Jordan University Hospital and continued his training in Ministry of Health Hospitals in Jordan. He has worked in Amman as Orthopedic Surgeon since 2004. He has passed the Jordanian Board of Orthopedic Surgery. He has attended many regional and international meetings, and is an international member of the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons. His interest in Ilizarov surgery and deformity correction led him to pursue this fellowship in the United States.
Rock Positano, DPM	Dr. Rock Positano is a well known NY podiatrist who is director of the Non-operative Foot and Ankle Center at the Hospital for Special Surgery. He has extensive experience with orthotics and shoe modifications which are important adjuvant methods for treatment of limb deformity and discrepancy. He is a consultant member of the Institute for Limb Lengthening and Reconstruction. Curriculum Vitae (résumé)

The Limb Lengthening team From left to right: Dr. Fragomen, Dr. Rozbruch, Dr. Ilizarov