In Memoriam: Kenneth A. Krackow, MD

By Ellen Goldbaum

Krackow had a profound influence on orthopaedic surgery worldwide. A lifelong innovator, he is recognized as one of the pioneers of joint replacement surgery, or arthroplasty, which nearly 2 million Americans now undergo each year.

“Dr. Krackow was a world-renowned surgeon and an amazing human being,” says Matthew J. Phillips, MD, assistant professor of orthopaedics, who was a resident and a fellow under Krackow. “He will always be remembered for his orthopaedic innovation, his meticulous surgery, his tireless patient care, and his amazing teaching ability.”

The Hip Society and the Knee Society issued a statement upon Krackow’s death, noting that his “emphasis on disciplined biomechanics, reproducible technique and honest outcomes shaped generations of both knee and hip surgeons.”

Krackow began his career at Johns Hopkins University, where he and a colleague developed one of the world’s first commercially available uncemented hip and knee replacement systems. He also developed what is known as the Krackow stitch or suture, still considered the gold standard for tendon repair.

In 1992, he joined the Department of Orthopaedics in the Jacobs School, where he continued to develop innovations that significantly advanced the precision with which orthopaedic surgeries were performed. A physician with UBMD Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine, he also was department head at Buffalo General Medical Center.

In 1997, Krackow performed the first computer-assisted total knee replacement surgery. In an article in the journal Orthopaedics, he and his colleagues described how the new system enabled surgeons to perform much more precise and effective surgeries. His partnership with the Stryker Company resulted in the development of the Stryker Navigation System: Knee Module.

In 2010, the Knee Society recognized him with its Lifetime Achievement Award at the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons Annual Meeting.

Phillips notes that while Krackow is known worldwide for his innovations in joint replacement surgery, he was also known at UB and in academic circles for his commitment to teaching.

“Dr. Krackow’s passion was in training fellows, residents and medical students, passing on to them what he loved to do,” he says. And while Krackow’s reputation as a world-famous surgeon was well-known, Phillips adds that he was incredibly approachable and kind, and he was always touting the virtues of Buffalo and UB when he traveled.

“He also was remarkably generous, from his large acts of philanthropy such as donating a significant amount of money to our orthopaedic department research lab, which now bears his name, to countless daily acts of kindness,” Phillips says. “Ken would donate money to strangers just because he found out that they were in need.”

In 2011, UB established the Kenneth A. Krackow, MD, Orthopaedic Research Laboratory, where investigators conduct research primarily in the areas of metallic orthopaedic biomaterials and applied orthopaedic biomechanics. Donations to the lab can be made at this link.

A memorial service will be held later this year.