Paul M. Sethi, MD

SPORTS MEDICINE SPECIALIST
ELBOW, KNEE & SHOULDER SURGEON
Dr. Pau Sethi
  • College: Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, 1993
  • Medical School: Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York City, New York, 1997
  • Residency: Orthopaedic Surgery, Yale New Haven Hospital, New Haven, CT, 2002
  • Fellowship: Sports Medicine, Kerlan Jobe Orthopedic Institute, Los Angeles, California, 2003
Paul Sethi, MD is a board-certified orthopedic surgeon who specializes in sports medicine conditions of the elbow, knee and shoulder. He is a leading research physician who speaks at academic and instructional medical conferences in the US and abroad. His research on surgical advances in his specialty is regularly published in leading medical journals, including the Journal for Shoulder and Elbow Surgery, Arthroscopy, and the Journal of American Academy for Orthopaedic Surgery. He also collaborates with outside companies for education and research purposes and to develop medical procedures on the shoulder, elbow and knee. Dr. Sethi is a member of the prestigious American Shoulder and Elbow Society and American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons. He is President of the  ONS Foundation for Clinical Research and Education(ONSF).

Dr. Sethi completed a sports medicine fellowship at the Kerlan Jobe Orthopaedic Institute in Los Angeles, CA. His research on athletic performance while a resident surgeon at Yale, his studies of professional basketball players, and his experience as a college varsity athlete have provided Dr. Sethi with an informed perspective of sports-related injuries and conditions.

Dr. Sethi served as orthopedic consultant to the Los Angeles Dodgers baseball team. He is a former assistant team physician of the Los Angeles Lakers basketball team, Los Angeles Kings hockey team and the Los Angeles Dodgers. He is also a former assistant team physician of the University of Southern California football team.

Dr. Sethi serves as team physician to Greenwich High School, Brunswick High School and Iona Preparatory High School. In regular speaking engagements he asserts that proper fitness conditioning is essential to preventing sports injuries for professional as well as amateur athletes.

As President of the ONSF,  Dr. Sethi’s research has recently included clinical study of the non-opioid solutions for post-surgical pain management; the establishment of better methods for surgical skin preparation (cleaning) to lower the risk of surgical infection; development of a new technique to repair chronic or weakened biceps tendons; and the evaluation of surgical needles in tendon surgery to establish international guidelines on needle use.

 Please click here to schedule an appointment.

Testimonials

I first met Dr. Sethi in early 2017 after injuring my right shoulder and having sleep disruption. The ONS MRI DX was a minor tear of the rotator cuff and labrum plus a bone spur. I was worried about missing time from a new job I’d started and Dr. Sethi told me I could give PT a try and he administered a cortisone shot for the inflammation and pain. No push towards surgery whatsoever. He examined me physically, showed me the X-Rays and MRI images, walked me through what was going on and gave me all the facts and info I needed to make my decision. In about 8 weeks I was done with PT and sleeping normally. Fast forward to March 2019 and I reinjured my shoulder, this time severely. The DX was a major tear but again, Dr. Sethi didn’t push surgery. He did say no to another cortisone shot in case surgery became necessary but once again said I could try PT to avoid the downtime. In a few weeks of struggling through PT and sliding backwards we agreed on surgery and on June 5th Dr. Sethi did his thing. When I woke up and met with Dr. Sethi he told me the tears were much worse than the MRI had revealed but the good news was that my tissue was viable at the surgical margins making the repair easier and adding to his optimism that I’d have a good recovery. He had previously warned me “You’re going to hate me for the 3 months following surgery.” LOL – No but I quickly understood what he meant after the nerve blocker wore off, pain, discomfort, you’re one handed, strapped to an ice cooling machine (definitely a great help). Make no mistake. It’s horrible. Sleep? Forget it but that was already an issue for months and you’re wearing a sling 24 hours a day for weeks so – yeah, it sucked. Dr. Sethi’s pain management team and his PA’s were in constant touch with me. At my first follow up Dr. Sethi was his usual optimistic and articulate self, showing me the pre and post-surgical images from the surgical camera. WOW! My rotator cuff was just shredded. Then I could see the repaired view, what a difference. It was time for PT and he was pleased with my progress to this early stage. Fast forward and Dr. Sethi just “discharged” me, I’m close to fully recovered almost 9 months post-op. Sleep returned by October of 2019, that was for me the worst part of the experience but within normal boundaries. I worked hard at PT and for this part of the recovery, Range of Motion and Strength gains came steadily week after week. I did the work and got the results. I’m now in the gym 3-4 times a week, do my Home Exercise program plus regular cardio and sensible lifting and have zero pain. Dr. Sethi is an acknowledged leader in his field. He’s a straight talker, a funny and personable guy and he exudes quiet confidence while simultaneously listening to whatever feedback or questions you may have. I can’t say enough about him and his team at ONS. People warned me about surgery and I know some friends who didn’t have the same results as me. My days of throwing javelin and playing rugby are behind me but my every day living is pain free, sleeping like a baby and able to reach and lift and put on or take off my jackets, hit the gym with confidence and more. Paul is a great surgeon and he cares, that’s obvious. Thank you Dr. Sethi! (5 Star Review on Google from S.L.)
View All Testimonials

Dr. Sethi has been an advocate for opioid sparing solutions for post surgical pain and has been interviewed on television and in print multiple times on the topic.

Watch Dr. Sethi speak about the following topics:   Minimizing Narcotic Use in Orthopedic Surgery; Orthopedic Surgery Applications of Stem Cells; Preventing Infections in Shoulder Surgery

Read the article “The Mystery of the Vanishing Screwball” published in NY Times where Dr. Sethi researched how throwing a “screwball” pitch effects the arm.

HONORS

AAOS Achievement Award 2017, 2018, 2019
Castle Connolly Americas Top Doctors 2009-2020
New York Magazine Best Doctors 2013, 2014, 2017- 2020
Connecticut Magazine Best Doctors 2009-2020
Greenwich Magazine Top Doctors 2010, 2013-2020
New Canaan Magazine Top Doctors 2010, 2012-2020
Stamford Magazine Top Doctors 2010, 2012-2020
US News and World Report Top Doctor 2011
Westport Magazine Top Doctors 2010, 2012-2018

ACADEMIC AFFILIATIONS

American Shoulder and Elbow Society
Clinical Instructor in Orthopedic Surgery, Yale University School of Medicine, Yale University, New Haven, CT

PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS

American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons
Associate Editor Journal of Shoulder Elbow Surgery
Arthroscopy Association of North America
Diplomate, American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery
Connecticut Orthopaedic Society
Diplomate, National Board of Medical Examiners
New England Shoulder and Elbow Society
Yale Orthopedic Association

SPORTS TEAM AFFILIATIONS

Orthopaedic Consultant to the Los Angeles Dodgers
Former assistant team physician Los Angeles Dodgers Baseball
Former assistant team physician Los Angeles Lakers Basketball
Former assistant team physician Los Angeles Angels Hockey
Team physician Greenwich High School: 2002-Present
Team physician Iona Preparatory High School: 2005-Present
Team physician New Canaan High School Football: 2009-Present
Team physician Darien High School Lacrosse: 2014-Present
Team physician Purchase College: 2015-Present

CERTIFICATIONS

American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery  
American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery – Sports Medicine

PUBLISHED RESEARCH

Liposomal bupivacaine reduces opiate consumption after rotator cuff repair in a randomized controlled trial by Paul M. Sethi, MD, Devon Brameier, BS, Nikhil K. Mandava, BA, Seth R. Miller, MD,  Journal of Shoulder and Elbow Surgery, Volume 28, Issue 5, pages 1-9 (March, 2019)

Macroscopic Rotator Cuff Tendinopathy and Histopathology Do Not Predict Repair Outcomes of Rotator Cuff Tears by Paul. M. Sethi, MD, Chirag D. Sheth, BS, Leo Pauzenberger, MD, Mary Beth R. McCarthy, BS, Mark P. Cote, DPT,MS, Emma Soneson, BS, Seth Miller, MD, Augustus D. Mazzocca, MS, MD (doi.org/10.1177/0363546517746986) The American Journal of Sports Medicine, Volume: 46, Issue: 4, pages 779-785 (January 2018)

Read more

08/12/2019