Kirk Kindsfater, MD
Joint Replacement Surgery
Specialties
Locations
About Kirk Kindsfater, MD
Dr. Kirk Kindsfater is an internationally recognized, board-certified orthopaedic surgeon who sees patients in our Fort Collins, CO, office.
His practice is well known for the outstanding results that patients have with hip and knee replacement surgery. Patients come to see Dr. Kindsfater not only from Fort Collins and around the region, but from throughout the United States and the world, ranging from New York to California to Alaska within the U.S, and international patients from as far away as Venezuela and Nepal.
A native of Eaton, CO, Dr. Kindsfater joined the Orthopaedic & Spine Center of the Rockies in 1995 after completing his fellowship (advanced) training in joint replacement surgery at Harvard School of Medicine and Brigham & Women’s Hospital in Boston, MA.
Fellowship provides physicians with an additional, sixth year of focused orthopaedic surgery in their specialty area, following completion of their residency. During his practice at OCR, Dr. Kindsfater has performed more than 25,000 hip and knee replacement surgeries for patients.
His excellent clinical results and the professionalism of his “orthopaedic team” has allowed his practice to become the busiest in Colorado and one of the busiest in the nation; he currently takes care of more than 1,300 joint replacement patients a year.
Each year, Dr. Kindsfater currently performs approximately:
- 900 knee replacement surgeries, and
- 450 hip replacement operations for patients.
For hip replacement patients, Dr. Kindsfater offers the latest in orthopaedic implants, technology and surgical techniques including:
- Highly crosslinked polyethylene and Delta ceramic articulating surfaces which provide outstanding wear properties for improved longevity of the hip replacement
- Rapid rehab/post-surgical protocols which allow patients to walk the same day as surgery and for younger patients the ability to be discharged to home in less than 24 hours
For knee replacement patients, he provides:
- High performance fixed and rotating platform knees. Dr. Kindsfater utilizes the rotating platform knee in his most active patients as the orthopaedic literature has shown this type of implant to have excellent long-term function and survivorship.
- Utilization of advanced bearing surfaces including highly crosslinked and antioxidant polyethylene bearings which can lead to improved longevity of the knee replacement
- Rapid post -operative mobilization of the patient which allows many single knee replacement patients to be discharged to home in less than 24 hours from surgery and almost all patients to be discharged to home within 48 hours of surgery
Dr. Kindsfater is also actively involved in medical research in new technologies and implant design which can lead to improvements in the field of joint replacement surgery.
In addition, he consults with major orthopaedic companies for both product development, and to educate other orthopaedic surgeons in new technologies and surgical techniques. Over the past 15 years Dr. Kindsfater has been an invited faculty member at didactic orthopaedic courses on more than 60 occasions. He also routinely hosts other orthopaedic surgeons into his operating room so that they can see the latest in surgical techniques and operating room efficiencies.
Dr. Kindsfater continues to be very active with clinical research as well. Over the years he has been involved in 17 clinical research projects / clinical studies. He has presented research findings at international orthopaedic meetings held in Brugge, Belgium; Hawaii; Dubai, United Arab Emirates; Sydney, Australia and Kyoto, Japan. Dr. Kindsfater has also lectured internationally, including educational presentations in recent years to fellow surgeons in Rome, Mexico City, and Surfers Paradise, Australia.
He is a member of the American Association of Hip and Knee Surgeons and the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons; he holds board certification from the American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery. Dr. Kindsfater performs surgery for patients at OCR’s surgery center and at Poudre Valley Hospital in Fort Collins.
Outside of medicine, Dr. Kindsfater enjoys spending time with his family, lifting weights, or racing one of his vehicles at the track.
Experience
- Orthopaedic & Spine Center of the Rockies 1995 – Present
Education
- Fellowship in Adult Reconstructive Surgery (Hip and Knee) 1994-1995 — Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
- Chief Resident, Department of Orthopaedics 1993-1994 — University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, Denver
- Residency – Department of Orthopaedics 1990-1994 — University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, Denver
- Internship – Department of Surgery 1989-1990 — University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, Denver
- Medical Degree 1989 — University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, Denver
- B.S. Degree 1983 — Colorado State University, Fort Collins
Awards & Honors
- Hamilton I. Barnard Award
- Outstanding Research in Orthopaedics
- UCHSC Department of Orthopaedics
- Winner Highlight Paper Award
- Orthopaedic Trauma Association Annual Meeting
- Graduated with Honors, UCHSC – Class Rank 1st
- George Packard Award – Outstanding Record in Surgery
- UpJohn Achievement Award – Oustanding Academic Achievement
- Elected to Alpha Omega Alpha, Medical Honor Society
- (2) Lange Award – Oustanding Medical Student
- Graduated Cum Laude – Colorado State University
- Elected to Phi Kappa Phi – National Honor Society
- Elected to Tau Beta Pi – National Engineering Honor Society
- Elected to Pi Tau Sigma – National Mechanical Engineering Honor Society
Resources
Do you have questions about Joint Replacement Surgical conditions that you or a family member may be experiencing? Have you been diagnosed with a specific problem and you are wondering about treatment options? Check out the links below that contain valuable information. Please note that this information should serve as a resource and should be considered only in discussion with your doctor before official diagnosis or treatment is attempted.