Department of Orthopaedic Surgery

Dharmesh Vyas, MD, PhD

  • Associate Professor
  • Medical Director and Head Team Physician, NHL Pittsburgh Penguins club
  • Medical Director, UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex

Education & Training

  • MD, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL
  • Residency: University of Chicago, Pritzker School of Medicine, Chicago, IL
  • Residency: University of Chicago, Pritzker School of Medicine, Chicago, IL
  • PhD, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, Chicago, IL

Representative Publications

  1. Torabi M, Wo S, Vyas D, Costello J. MRI evaluation and complications of medial patellofemoral ligament reconstruction. Clin Imaging. 39(1): 116-127, 2015.
  2. Miller RM, Popchak A, Vyas D, Tashman S, Irrgang JJ, Musahl V, Debski RE. Effects of exercise therapy for the treatment of symptomatic full-thickness supraspinatus tears on in vivo glenohumeral kinematics. Journal of Shoulder and Elbow Surgery. 25(4); 641-9, 2016.
  3. Gasbarro G, Ye J, Newsome H, Jiang K, Wright V, Vyas D, Irrgang JJ, Musahl V.  Morphological risk factors in predicting symptomatic structural failure of arthroscopic rotator cuff repairs: tear size, location and atrophy matter.  Arthroscopy 32(10); 1947-52, 2016.
  4. Popchak AJ, Hogaboom NS, Vyas D, Abt JP, Delitto A, Irrgang JJ, Boninger ML.  Acute response of the infraspinatus and biceps tendons to pitching in youth baseball.  Med Sci Sports Exer. 49(6); 1168-75, 2017.
  5. Shin JJ, McCrum CL, Mauro CS, Vyas D. Pain Management After Hip Arthroscopy:  Systematic Review of Randomized Controlled Trials and Cohort Studies. Am J Sports Med. 46(13):3288-98 2018.
  6. Borrero CG, Costello J, Bertolet M, Vyas D.  Effect of patient age on accuracy of primary MRI signs of long head of biceps tearing and instability in the shoulder: an MRI-arthroscopy correlation study. Skeletal Radiol;47(2):203-14, 2018.
  7. Fourman MS, Arner JW, Bayer S, Vyas D, Bradley JP.  Type VIII SLAP repair at mid-term follow-up:  throwers have greater pain, decreased function, and poorer return to play.  Arthroscopy.  34(12):3159-64, 2018.
  8. Bradley JP, Arner JW, Sachidhanand J, Vyas D.  Risk Factors and Outcomes of Revision Arthroscopic Posterior Shoulder Capsulolabral Repair.  Am J Sports Med. 46(10):2457-65. 2018.
  9. McCrum CL, Costello J, Onishi K, and Vyas D.  Return to Play after PRP and Rehabilitation of 3 Elite Ice Hockey Players with Ulnar Collateral Ligament Injuries of the Elbow. Orthop J Sports Med. 6(8):2018.
  10. Borrero CG, Costello J, Bertolet M, and Vyas D.  Value of Anterosuperior rotator cuff and labral tears at MRI for predicting long head of biceps tearing at arthroscopy Clin Radiol. 73(12):1058.2018.
  11. Zhang K, De SA D, Kanakamedala A, Sheehan AJ, and Vyas D.  Management of concomitant pre-operative rotator cuff pathology and adhesive capsulitis—A systematic review of indications, treatment approaches, and outcomes. Arthroscopy 35(3):979-993, 2019.
  12. De SA D, Sheehan AJ, Morales-Restrepo A, Dombrowski M, Kay J, and Vyas D. Patient positioning in arthroscopic management of posterior-inferior shoulder instability:  a systematic review comparing beach chair and lateral decubitus approaches. Arthroscopy. 35(1):214-24, 2019.
  13. Sheahan A, De Sa D, Patterson B, Vyas D.  On-ice return to hockey progression after anterior glenohumeral stabilization surgery.  Sports Health 2018 (IN REVIEW)
  14. Wilson K, Kannan A, Kopacko M, and Vyas D.  Rehabilitation and Return to Sport after Hip Arthroscopy.  Operative Techniques in Orthopedics.  2019 (IN PRESS)

Research Interests

Dr. Vyas’ research interests are in the area of knee (ACL reconstruction and meniscus healing) and shoulder surgery (shoulder instability and rotator cuff healing). He is actively involved in teaching medical students, orthopaedic surgery residents, and also sports medicine fellows. Clinically he has a busy sports medicine practice taking care of adult and pediatric patients with shoulder, knee, and hip injuries. Furthermore, he is also the Head Team Physician of the Pittsburgh Penguins Hockey Team.   

Research Grants

1.  Title: Prospective Analysis of Outcomes for Treatment of Meniscus Tears 
Time Commitment: 1% (0.12 calendar months)
Role: Principal Investigator
Supporting Agency:  The Pittsburgh Foundation
Name and Address of the Funding Agency’s Procuring Contracting/Grants Officer: 
Dr. Jeanne Pearlman Five PPG Place Suite 250 Pittsburgh, PA 15222
Performance Period: 07/01/2012-06/30/2015
Level of Funding: $5,000

2.  Title: Timing of Surgery and Rehabilitation to Optimize Outcome for Patients with Multiple Ligament Knee Injuries: A Multi-Center Trial.
Time:  5%
Role:  supporting investigator to Dr. Ermias Abebe
Supporting Agency:  AOSSM

3..  Title:  Timing of Surgery and Rehabilitation to Optimize Outcome for Patients with Multiple Ligament Knee Injuries:  A Multi-Center Trial.
Time:  5%
Role:  supporting investigator
Status:  accepted for application for funding to Dept of Defense

4.  Title:  Stem cell response to rotator cuff tear related fatty atrophy
Time:  10%
Role:  Co-PI
Status:  IRB in process—to be submitted for NIH RO1 in February in collaboration with University of Kentucky

5.  Title:  Clinical Outcomes and Return to Play after anterior shoulder stabilization
Time:  10%
Role:  Co-PI
Status:  IRB done. Patients contacted and data collection in progress