Department of Orthopaedic Surgery

Albert Lin, MD

  • Professor
  • Vice Chair, Education
  • Program Director, Orthopaedic Surgery Residency Program
  • Chief, Shoulder Service
  • Co-Director, Pittsburgh Shoulder Institute
  • Associate Chief, Division of Sports Medicine

Education & Training

  • MD, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
  • Residency: Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA
  • Fellowship (sports): University of Pittsburgh Medical School, Pittsburgh, PA
  • Fellowship (shoulder): Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA

Representative Publications

  1. Su, F., Kowalczuk, M., Ikpe, S., Lee, H., Sabzevari, S., & Lin, A. (2018). Risk Factors for Failure of Arthroscopic Revision Anterior Shoulder Stabilization. J Bone Joint Surg Am. 100(15), 1319–1325. PubMed PMID: 30063594
  2. Shin, J. J., Popchak, A. J., Musahl, V., Irrgang, J. J., & Lin, A. (2018). Complications After Arthroscopic Shoulder Surgery: A Review of the American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery Database. J Am Acad Orthop Surg Glob Res Rev. 2(12). PubMed PMID: 30680371
  3. Rothenberg, A., Gasbarro, G., Chlebeck, J., & Lin, A. (2017). The Coracoacromial Ligament: Anatomy, Function, and Clinical Significance. Orthop J Sports Med. 5(4). PubMed PMID: 28508008
  4. Sabzevari, S., Kachooei, A. R., Giugale, J., & Lin, A. (2017). One-stage surgical treatment for concomitant rotator cuff tears with shoulder stiffness has comparable results with isolated rotator cuff tears: a systematic review. J Shoulder Elbow Surg. 26(8), e252–e258. PubMed PMID: 28478897
  5. Wilson, K. W., Popchak, A., Li, R. T., Kane, G., & Lin, A. (2020). Return to sport testing at 6 months after arthroscopic shoulder stabilization reveals residual strength and functional deficits. J Shoulder Elbow Surg. 29(7S), S107–S114. PubMed PMID: 32643605
  6. Chang, E. S., Zou, J., Costello, J. M., & Lin, A. (2016). Accuracy of magnetic resonance imaging in predicting the intraoperative tear characteristics of pectoralis major ruptures. J Shoulder Elbow Surg. 25(3), 463–468. PubMed PMID: 26525743
  7. Wang, J., Popchak, A., Giugale, J., Irrgang, J., & Lin, A. (2018). Sports Participation Is an Appropriate Expectation for Recreational Athletes Undergoing Shoulder Arthroplasty. Orthop J Sports Med. 6(10). PubMed PMID: 30349839
  8. Kowalczuk, M., Kohut, K., Sabzevari, S., Naendrup, J. H., & Lin, A. (2018). Proximal Long Head Biceps Rupture: A Predictor of Rotator Cuff Pathology. Arthroscopy. 34(4), 1166–1170. PubMed PMID: 29373291
  9. Li, R. T., Kane, G., Drummond, M., Golan, E., Wilson, K., Lesniak, B. P., Rodosky, M., & Lin, A. (2021). On-Track Lesions with a Small Distance to Dislocation Are Associated with Failure After Arthroscopic Anterior Shoulder Stabilization. J Bone Joint Surg Am. 103(11), 961–967. PubMed PMID: 33764924
  10. Yeung, M., Shin, J. J., Lesniak, B. P., & Lin, A. (2020). Complications of Arthroscopic Versus Open Biceps Tenodesis in the Setting of Arthroscopic Rotator Cuff Repairs: An Analysis of the American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery Database. J Am Acad Orthop Surg. 28(3), 113–120. PubMed PMID: 31977611
  11. Popchak, A., Poploski, K., Patterson-Lynch, B., Nigolian, J., & Lin, A. (2021). Reliability and validity of a return to sports testing battery for the shoulder. Phys Ther Sport. 48, 1–11. PubMed PMID: 33341516
  12. Vaswani, R., Gasbarro, G., Como, C., Golan, E., Fourman, M., Wilmot, A., Borrero, C., Vyas, D., & Lin, A. (2020). Labral Morphology and Number of Preoperative Dislocations Are Associated With Recurrent Instability After Arthroscopic Bankart Repair. Arthroscopy. 36(4), 993–999. PubMed PMID: 31785391
  13. Hughes, J. D., Gibbs, C. M., Reddy, R. P., Whicker, E., Vaswani, R., Eibel, A., Talentino, S., Popchak, A. J., Lesniak, B. P., & Lin, A. (2021). Repair of high-grade partial thickness supraspinatus tears after surgical completion of the tear have a lower retear rate when compared to full-thickness tear repair. Knee Surg Sports Traumatol Arthrosc. 29(7), 2370–2375. PubMed PMID: 33683392
  14. Kopka, M., Fourman, M., Soni, A., Cordle, A. C., & Lin, A. (2017). Can glenoid wear be accurately assessed using x-ray imaging? Evaluating agreement of x-ray and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) Walch classification. J Shoulder Elbow Surg. 26(9), 1527–1532. PubMed PMID: 28483433
  15. Kane, G. E., LeVasseur, C. M., Hughes, J. D., Gabrielli, A. S., Popchak, A., Anderst, W., & Lin, A. (2022). Improved Outcomes Following Arthroscopic Superior Capsular Reconstruction May Not Be Associated With Changes in Shoulder Kinematics: An In Vivo Study. Arthroscopy. 38(2), 267–275. PubMed PMID: 34237396
  16. Como, C. J., Hughes, J. D., Lesniak, B. P., & Lin, A. (2021). Critical shoulder angle does not influence retear rate after arthroscopic rotator cuff repair. Knee Surg Sports Traumatol Arthrosc. 29(12), 3951–3955. PubMed PMID: 34255134
  17. Hughes, J. D., Kane, G., LeVasseur, C. M., Gabrielli, A. S., Popchak, A. J., Anderst, W. J., & Lin, A. (2021). Graft healing does not influence subjective outcomes and shoulder kinematics after superior capsule reconstruction: a prospective in vivo kinematic study. J Shoulder Elbow Surg. 30(7S), S48–S56. PubMed PMID: 33775820
  18. Li, R. T., Sheean, A., Wilson, K., SA, D. de, Kane, G., Lesniak, B., & Lin, A. (2021). Decreased Glenoid Retroversion Is a Risk Factor for Failure of Primary Arthroscopic Bankart Repair in Individuals With Subcritical Bone Loss Versus No Bone Loss. Arthroscopy. 37(4), 1128–1133. PubMed PMID: 33307148
  19. Fourman, M. S., Beck, A., Gasbarro, G., Irrgang, J. J., Rodosky, M. W., & Lin, A. (2019). Humeral head resurfacing is associated with less pain and clinically equivalent functional outcomes compared with stemmed hemiarthroplasty at mid-term follow-up. Knee Surg Sports Traumatol Arthrosc. 27(10), 3203–3211. PubMed PMID: 30915512
  20. Gasbarro, G., Giugale, J. M., Walch, G., & Lin, A. (2016). Predictive Surgical Reasons for Failure After Coracoid Process Transfers. Orthop J Sports Med. 4(12). PubMed PMID: 28210649

PubMed Link

Research Interests

Serves as Director of the Pittsburgh Shoulder Institute, with Dr. Mark Rodosky.  My basic science research involves collaborative work with the University of Pittsburgh Orthopaedic Robotics Laboratory (ORL) and the Biodynamics Laboratory (BDL) focusing on cadaveric biomechanical assessment of shoulder instability with development of novel surgical techniques, and in vivo kinematic analysis of surgical treatments and reconstruction for rotator cuff pathology.  My clinical outcomes research focuses on sports related shoulder injuries in addition to complex shoulder pathology including reconstruction and shoulder arthroplasty.  We have presented our research both nationally and internationally. Our research team has received multiple recent awards including the American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons Cofield Award (2019), Mighell-Frankle Award (2020, 2021), Hawkins Award (2022), the AANA O’Connor Research Award for Best Overall Paper and Diversity Research Award (2023), and the Shoulder 360 Best Overall Poster (2023).  In addition to my clinical and research practice, I serve as the head orthopaedic team physician for Duquesne University and team physician for Pittsburgh Central Catholic High School, Oakland Catholic High School, and Sierra Catholic High School. 

Teaching:

Orthopaedic Residency (Program Director)
Orthopaedic Sports Medicine Fellowship 
Shoulder and Elbow Fellowship
Comprehensive arthroscopic and open shoulder experience for residents and fellows.

Research Grants

  1. “Patient-specific strategies for capsular repair following shoulder dislocation”
    Grant #: AR078418-01
    Performance Period: 9/1/20 - 12/31/23
    Role: PI (co-PI: Dr. Richard Debski)
    Supporting Agency: National Institute of Health, R21
    Level of Funding: $275,000
  2. “Open versus Arthroscopic Shoulder Instability Surgery for Subcritical bone loss (O.A.S.I.S”
    Grant #: n/a
    Performance Period: 9/1/20 - 8/31/25
    Role: site-PI (study PIs: Dr. Adam Popchak, Dr. Jon Dickens)
    Supporting Agency: Department of Defense
    Level of Funding: $2,000,000
  3. “Measurement of in-vivo dynamic glenoid track following arthroscopic versus open stabilization for subcritical glenoid bone loss”
    Grant #: AR080435
    Performance Period: 2021-2024
    Role: Co-I (PI: Dr. William Anderst)
    Supporting Agency: National Institute of Health, R01
    Level of Funding: $1,100,000
  4. “Effects of prosthesis design and placement on shoulder kinematics and strength after reverse total shoulder arthroplasty”
    Grant #: 12731062
    Performance Period: 8/1/19 – 3/31/21
    Role: PI (co-PI: Dr. William Anderst)
    Supporting Agency: National Institute of Health, R03