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"I can workout hard and lift weights again;
I feel like I got a new lease on life." -
"I am back performing all my ranch duties,
including roping, thanks to Dr. Hollis." -
"After having both of my shoulders replaced,
I’m back riding my Harley and playing my Martin D-45." -
"My shoulder feels fantastic and I am back
out shooting baskets and playing golf."
About My Practice
Providing exceptional care to all patients is my personal mission. I strive to make every patient encounter a positive experience. The goal of my practice is to:
About Dr. Hollis
"Meeting patients, spending time getting to know them, and helping them feel better is what I enjoy most about my job."
Why I became a Surgeon
I did not grow up wanting to be a physician. Like a lot of young, ambitious boys, I wanted to be a professional athlete – a Major League baseball player to be precise.
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Personal Interests
I love living in Colorado Springs. This is such a beautiful part of the country. In my free time, I enjoy working out on my Peloton bike and lifting weights. I love watching my Michigan Wolverines in all sports, as well as hiking, listening to music, and downhill skiing. I am also a beginner fly fisherman.
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Treatment Philosophy
Nothing is more gratifying than treating patients and getting them back participating in the activities they love. Just like people, no two patients are ever the same.
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Education & Training
I attended the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, Michigan for both undergraduate studies and medical school. I love Ann Arbor and I am a Wolverine through and through. Go Blue!
Read MoreConditions Treated
The main focus areas of my practice include the treatment of all shoulder and knee disorders including arthroscopic rotator cuff repairs and shoulder replacement surgery, sports injuries, knee replacement surgery and fracture care.
Four muscles/tendons around the shoulder make up what is known as the ‘rotator cuff.’ The rotator cuff provides stability to the shoulder and aids in moving the shoulder during activities. When one or more of these tendons tear, patients suffers from significant pain and lack of function which alters their daily activities.
A variety of factors, including age of patient, pain level and shoulder function dictate the treatment plan. While some rotator cuff tears can be treated conservatively, others need to be surgically re-attached to allow for pain relief and improved function. This procedure is done as an outpatient surgery.
Common Symptoms:
Injuries to the shoulder that lead to a dislocation of the shoulder joint can often result in recurrent episodes of instability of the shoulder. Reoccurring episodes of shoulder dislocations are very debilitating. Advanced arthroscopic techniques allow me to repair torn structures (ie. Labrum) of the shoulder. As a result, the patient has a more stable and functional shoulder and can return to normal activity. This procedure is done as an outpatient surgery.
Common Symptoms:
Bicep tendon injuries are common in the shoulder and are often associated with rotator cuff injuries. These injuries can lead to increased pain and limited function of the shoulder. Depending on the severity of symptoms and the tear, often times the bicep tendon needs to be repaired or re-attached to allow patients to get back to the activities they enjoy. This procedure is done as an outpatient surgery.
Common Symptoms:
Many different terms are used to describe impingement of the shoulder including tendonitis and bursitis. When shoulders suffering from impingement fail conservative treatment, an arthroscopic procedure can be performed to remove the inflamed bursal tissue or a “bone spur.” This creates more space for the rotator cuff tendons, resulting in less irritation. This procedure is done as an outpatient surgery.
Common Symptoms:
When a shoulder gets very painful and stiff, without evidence of arthritis or tendon tear, we call this a frozen shoulder or adhesive capsulitis. Often times we do not know the cause of this condition, but it can be related to diabetes or thyroid disease. This condition can be treated conservatively with injections and therapy. However, if conservative treatment does not offer improvement, the shoulder can arthroscopically be “released” to allow for better movement and pain relief. This procedure is done as an outpatient surgery.
Common Symptoms:
The labrum is a ring of tissue around the socket of the shoulder. An injured labrum leads to various symptoms including pain and instability of the shoulder. Depending on the location of the injury to the labral tissue, arthroscopic evaluation with debridement or repair may be necessary. This procedure is done as an outpatient surgery.
Common Symptoms:
Arthritis of the shoulder (similar to arthritis of the knee and hip) occurs when there is a loss of “cushioning” cartilage at the end of the bones. This loss of cushioning can lead to a stiff shoulder and make common everyday activities painful. In shoulder replacement surgery, I remove the arthritic ends of the bones and replace them with a metal and plastic surface that allows for significant reduction in pain and improvement of function. Often times this procedure can be completed in just under an hour and requires only one overnight stay in the hospital.
Common Symptoms:
Arthritis of the shoulder, in addition to a chronic tear of the rotator cuff, is a condition that cannot be treated with a standard shoulder replacement. One of the best advancements in shoulder surgery over the past few decades is a reverse shoulder replacement. This procedure truly ‘reverses’ the ball and socket portions of the shoulder joint providing substantial pain relief and improved function even without a working rotator cuff. This newer technology offers shoulder patients an excellent treatment option to something that was previously considered a very difficult problem. Often times this procedure can be completed in just under an hour and requires only one overnight stay in the hospital.
Common Symptoms:
Although many fractures around the shoulder can be treated non-operatively, sometimes these fractures require plates and screws to hold the shoulder joint in a more anatomically correct position to allow for more consistent healing and improved function. This procedure is typically an outpatient surgery, but occasionally does require a one night stay in the hospital.
Common Symptoms:
Although many fractures of the clavicle can be treated non-operatively, sometimes these fractures require plates and screws to hold the clavicle in a more anatomically correct position to allow for more consistent healing and improved function. This procedure as an outpatient surgery, but occasionally does require a one night stay in the hospital.
Common Symptoms:
The meniscus is a cartilage type tissue in the knee that serves as an extra cushion for the knee joint. When the meniscus is torn it often leads to catching, locking and pain inside the knee during activity. When the meniscus cannot be repaired, I can often debride just the torn portion of the meniscus. This procedure offers pain relief and return of normal function. This is done as an outpatient surgery and patients are allowed to use the knee as they tolerate following surgery.
Common Symptoms:
The meniscus is a cartilage type of tissue in the knee that serves as an extra cushion for the knee joint. When the meniscus is torn it often leads to catching, locking and pain inside the knee during activity. When possible, I repair the meniscus by putting stitches in it to allow it to heal and continue its ‘cushioning’ benefits to the knee. This is done as an outpatient surgery, but it does require crutches and protection of the meniscus while it heals.
Common Symptoms:
One of the main ligaments in the knee is the Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL). The ACL can be injured by significant force across the knee during sports activities like skiing, football, soccer and basketball. When the ACL is torn the knee becomes unstable and causes pain. Often, the pain will not allow the individual to participate in sports. The ACL does not heal on its own and requires reconstruction of the ligament which is performed arthroscopically as an outpatient procedure. Post-surgical care requires extensive physical therapy to achieve full range of motion and use of the knee. However, once healed, the patient can achieve full recovery and go back to normal sports activities.
Common Symptoms:
Cartilage in the knee serves as a cushion at the end of the bones that make up the knee joint. When cartilage is torn or worn down it often leads to catching, locking and pain inside the knee during activities. When these symptoms do not improve with conservative treatment, surgery can be performed to debride just the torn portion of the cartilage which provides pain relief and return to normal function. This procedure is done as outpatient surgery and patients are allowed to use the knee as they tolerate following surgery.
Common Symptoms:
Dislocations of the kneecap can result in injuries of the knee and lead to recurrent instability and poor function. When this occurs, a procedure can be performed to stabilize the kneecap to ensure it stays in its appropriate anatomic position during range of motion of the knee. Stabilization of the kneecap allows patients to return to normal function and participation in sports related activities. Instability repair is followed by physical therapy to ensure full recovery. This procedure is often performed as an outpatient procedure.
Common Symptoms:
When loose pieces of cartilage or bone are in the knee, they should be removed so they do not injure the normal functioning cartilage at the ends of the bones. The removal of loose bodies can typically be done arthroscopically and is performed as an outpatient surgery. Patients are able to use the knee as they tolerate following the surgery.
Common Symptoms:
Knee arthritis is a common cause of knee pain and is caused by the loss of cartilage (cushion) at the end of the bones that make up the knee. This causes pain that can be debilitating and leads to poor function. Many different conservative treatments can be tried before surgery is required. In knee replacement surgery, I remove the arthritic ends of the bones and replace them with a metal and plastic surface that allows for significant reduction in pain and improvement of function. Often times this procedure can be completed in just under an hour and requires only one overnight stay in the hospital.
Common Symptoms:
Various fracture around the knee can be treated non-operatively, but sometimes these fractures require plates, screws or rods to hold the knee joint in a more anatomically correct position which allows for more consistent healing and improved function. This procedure is often done as an outpatient surgery, but occasionally requires a one night stay in the hospital.
Common Symptoms:
The bicep muscle attaches at the elbow as one tendon. When it is torn, the bicep muscle often needs to be reattached. This procedure is performed with a small incision below the elbow crease where the tendon can be reattached. This procedure is done as an outpatient surgery.
Common Symptoms:
As it crosses over the elbow, the ulnar nerve can become pinched. This pinching often causes numbness of the 4th and 5th fingers as well as pain at the elbow. When symptoms persist, I can perform a procedure to free up the nerve from surrounding tissues and move it to an area of the elbow where it is no longer compressed and the symptoms resolve.
Common Symptoms:
Although many fractures around the elbow can be treated non-operatively, sometimes these fractures require plates and screws to hold the elbow joint in a more anatomically correct position to allow for more consistent healing and improved function. This procedure is often done as an outpatient surgery.
Common Symptoms:
Giving Back
Colorado Springs is an awesome community and I am thrilled to live and work here. Because this community gives so much to my family, I strive to give back as often as I can.
Team Physician
Volunteer team physician for Coronado High School and The University of Colorado at Colorado Springs.
Read MoreOn Call Physician
Serving the Colorado Springs community by taking calls at both Penrose Main and Memorial North hospitals.
Read MoreYouth Coach
Volunteer coach for youth baseball and basketball. It's a fun way to spend time with my son, his friends and their terrific parents.
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