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Orthotics Staff |
Prosthetics Staff Orthotic Resident |
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Since 12/00
Thomas M. Gavin, C.O. President, Director of Clinical Services
tmgavin@orthotic.com
Thomas M. Gavin, C.O. is the founder, President and Director of Clinical Services of BioConcepts, inc.
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The vision for the creation and mission of BioConcepts was:
First; to create a comprehensive orthotic-prosthetic center that specialties in spinal, pediatric and trauma orthoses and provides exceptionally high quality service in all areas of orthotics and prosthetics:
Second; to establish an orthotics research center to innovate and implement new advancements in the orthotics profession.
Third; to unite international collaboration with orthotists, physicians and scientists to analyze new, and improve existing orthotic techniques.
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He is a graduate of the orthotic certificate course at Northwestern University Medical School, Prosthetic-Orthotic Center and is certified in orthotics by the American Board for Certification in Orthotics and Prosthetics (ABC) Mr. Gavin also has a vast amount of experience in all areas of clinical orthotics since 1975, spinal research since 1985 and teaching since 1987.
Gavin is also a Research Orthotist in the internationally renowned Musculoskeletal Biomechanics Laboratory at the Veterans Administration Hospital, Hines, Illinois where he spends 20% of his time with Avinash Patwardhan, Ph.D., Kevin Meade, Ph.D., Robert Havey, BS and a multitude of orthopaedists, engineering students, chiropractors and other research personnel in the biomechanics laboratory.
He participates in spinal orthotics research, in spinal biomechanical, spinal surgical research and device development studies. Gavin's research efforts are focused in the scientific and clinical investigation of biomechanics spinal kinematics, pathomechanics and device optimization which allows clinicians improve the spinal treatments and therefore better help to restore the quality of life for people afflicted with spinal disorders.
Having a herniated lumbar disc himself, Gavin has personal as well scientific insight into spinal treatment. Although he is a clinician and researcher, he knows what it is like to be afflicted with a musculoskeletal disorder!
Mr. Gavin is a Consulting Faculty member of the Northwestern University Medical School, Prosthetic-Orthotic Center and is a Teaching Associate in the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery and Rehabilitation, Loyola University Chicago, Maywood, Illinois. He lectures in several orthotic courses for orthotists, physicians and surgeons, physical therapists and biomedical engineers throughout many of the universities in the Midwest. Educating health professionals in the area of spinal orthotic treatment is a major part of Mr. Gavin's duties. By educating students and allied health professionals, he is able to disseminate important advances into the medical community. This enables others to improve the quality of life for people who need help throughout the world. He is always available to help further the knowledge of others.
His professional memberships include the Scoliosis Research Society, the North American Spine Society, the International Society for Prosthetics and Orthotics, and the American Academy of Orthotists and Prosthetists.
As the editor-in-chief of the Journal of Prosthetics and Orthotics (December 1996 - December 2000) Mr. Gavin was responsible for creating the Associate Editorial Board which was comprised of MDs and PhDs from a multitude of subspecialties including orthopaedics, physical medicine, amputation surgery, biomechanics, gait analysis, psychology, research methodology, statistics and orthopaedic research. He also was instrumental in the implementation of Lippincott Williams and Wilkins as the publisher of the JPO. Gavin was Chairperson of the Spinal Society of the American Academy of Orthotists and Prosthetists (1996-1999) and has arranged several spinal symposiums on dedicated topics.
During November 1997, he was invited as a spinal expert by the World Health Organization in Conjunction with the International Society For Prosthetics and Orthotics and the Tunisian Ministries of Health to attend the Consensus Conference on Poliomyelitis in Tunis, Tunisia
to present Biomechanical Principles of Orthotic Treatment for the Neuromuscular Spine. In November 1998 Mr. Gavin was a participating faculty member in a Spinal Symposium with a hands-on workshop in Bogota Colombia. During November 1999 he participated as faculty
in the International Short-term Course on the Management of Polio in Bangalore India; also with a hands-on workshop. During August 2000, Mr. Gavin presented at the International Short-term Course on the Management of Polio, in Moshi, Tanzania Africa. Also, in December 2000, Gavin and Gomez conducted a course on spinal orthotics in Mexico City, D.F. Mexico for the Sociedad Mexicana de Ortesistas y Protesistas (SMOPAC)
In addition to multiple research presentations at the annual meetings of the Scoliosis Research Society, North American Spine Society and the International Society for the Studies of Lumbar Spine, Mr. Gavin has authored and co-authored 7 book chapters and a multitude of journal articles for orthotic treatment of spinal disorders and spinal biomechanics.
Academic awards received by Mr. Gavin include the 1993 award for Outstanding Technical Research, the first annual Thranhardt award (1996) for a presentation entitled Geometric Analysis of Coronal Decompensation in Idiopathic Scoliosis and the third annual Thranhardt award (1998) for a presentation entitled Orthotic Treatment for Neuromuscular Scoliosis. These were awarded by the American Academy of Orthotists and Prosthetists. He also received 1st place for "best article" in 1993 as first author of the published manuscript entitled Orthotic Treatment for Chronic Low Back Pain: Preliminary Results, as well as 2nd place in "best article" in 1996 for co-authoring Biomechanical Comparison of the Milwaukee Brace and TLSO for the Orthotic Treatment for Idiopathic Scoliosis. These were awarded by the Journal of Prosthetics and Orthotics.
Development and implementation of the Rosenberger Scoliosis Orthosis as well as pioneering Orthotic Treatment for Chronic Low Back Pain are but a few examples of his innovations. He also was a co-investigator in the project Orthotic Stabilization of Thoracolumbar Fractures and a co-principal investigator in the development of a Compliance Monitor for Spinal Orthoses. Current developmental projects include the development of The Class II Posterior Shell TLSO for the Treatment of Spinal Osteoporosis and a Distractive Cervico-Thoracic Orthosis . Gavin and his colleagues are currently pursuing 2 patents for orthotic devices they have developed.
Research efforts must be of direct value to the clinical care of a person afflicted with a musculoskeletal disorder or injury and carrying out studies leads to an outstanding knowledge of these disorders and injuries. Discoveries of new and innovative methods and improvement of old methods directly benefit people! Although not required in the profession of orthotics and prosthetics, new innovations available in orthoses through BioConcepts are thoroughly analyzed in research laboratories, modeled on mathematical models and have undergone extreme scrutiny by many researchers and clinicians before they are implemented into practice.
Mr. Gavin is always available for a consultation, an in-service or for anyone who just wants to information. After 33 years in orthotics and 22 years in research, Mr. Gavin clinically focuses on the most difficult challenges presented by clients with neuro-musculoskeletal needs.
Angela S. Kozinski, C.O.
Director of Orthotics
Angela joined BioConcepts during June of 2001, one month after she graduated from Northwestern University Medical School, Orthotic School, Prosthetic-Orthotic Center. She completed her B.S.in agricultural science from Northeast Missouri State University (now Truman State University) in 1993. Ms. Kozinski is certified in orthotics by both the Board for Orthotic Certification (BOC) and the American Board for Certification in orthotics and Prosthetics, Inc. (ABC). She came to BioConcepts with 4 years of experience as an orthotic technician and orthotist in the Chicago area. She completed her orthotic residency with BioConcepts in 2002-2003 and has been a research orthotist at the musculoskeletal biomechanics laboratory at the Veterans Administration Hines since 2004. Clinically, she is well versed in orthotically managing patients with pathomechanical disorders of the spine and is currently doing a retrospective study of patients who were treated non-operatively with Rosenberger scoliosis TLSO's from 1983-1999. Angela has also piloted in-vivo laboratory analysis of the mechanisms of action of the Class II Posterior Shell TLSO for osteoporotic spinal deformity at the Musculoskeletal Biomechanics Laboratory at the VA Hines under the supervision of Mr. Gavin and Dr. Patwardhan. She has also conducted in-vivo experiments on normal adult volunteer subjects to quantify the mechanical function of three different prefabricated and made to measure TLSO's for sagittal motion reduction in the upper and lower lumbar spine as well as at the lumbo-sacral junction. In this study, she also quantified negative pulmonary side effects of each of these orthoses. She is a native of the Chicago area and hopes to eventually apply her orthotic skills to veternarian orthopaedics. She has attended annual meetings of the Scoliosis Research Society, North American Spine Society, the American Academy of Orthotists and Prosthetists.and is an adjunct faculty member at Northwestern University Medical School, Orthotic School, Prosthetic-Orthotic Center where she teaches spinal orthotics. Ms. Kozinski has also presented her research findings at the Orthopaedic Research Society and the American Academy of Orthotists and Prosthetists.
- Licenced Orthotist/ Prosthetist
- Director of Prosthetics
Karen Cieslak, C.P. is a graduate of the prosthetic school at Northwestern University Medical School, Prosthetic-Orthotic Center and is certified in prosthetics by the American Board for Certification in Orthotics and Prosthetics (ABC) She is also a member of the American Academy of Orthotists and Prosthetists.
After completion of the Prosthetic Certificate Program at Northwestern University in 1984, she served an internship at Otto Bock Orthopedic Industries, in Minneapolis, Minnesota where she received specialized training in myoelectric prosthetics by the company who developed these systems. She currently serves as a myoelectric consultant for several Chicago area orthotic-prosthetic facilities. She provides comprehensive, state of the art orthotic-prosthetic care in a highly professional and expeditious manner. Ms. Cieslak is licenced in both prosthetics and orthotics in the state of Illinois and in addition to her prosthetic expertise, is an expert in orthotic management of complex foot and ankle conditions. Whether you are getting on in years or are an athlete, Ms. Cieslak is quite capable of producing the ideal prosthesis or orthosis for your specific requirements. She provides outstanding prostheses with individualized care and is admired by his colleagues and clients alike.
Dr. Meade recieved his B.S. degree in mechanical engineering at Illinois Institute of Technology, in May, 1974; his M.S. degree in applied mathematics from Illinois Institute of Technology in December, 1978; and his Ph.D. in theoretical and applied mechanics Northwestern University in June,1982. He is currently a professor of mechanical engineering at the Mechanical, Materials and Aerospace Engineering program at Illinois Institte of Technology.
Dr. Meade specializes in spinal research and has an appointment at the Musculoskeletal Biomechanics Laboratory at the Veterans Administration Hospital in Hines, Illinois. Kevin has been instrumental in research in the area of spinal biomechanics, biomechanics of orthoses, and biomechanics of surgical implants. He lectures at Northwestern University Medical School, Prosthetic-Orthotic Center and is a spinal consultant at BioConcepts. Dr. Meade has been actively involved in supervised orthotic patient management since August 2001 and is a December 2003 graduate from Orthotic Certificate program and physicians course at Northwestern University Medical School. Kevin spent more than 5 months participating in orthotic management and prothetic-orthotic academics in Bogota, Colombia at Laboratorio Gilete in 2004 with our esteemed colleague J. Miguel Gomez, MD. Kevin and Dr. Gomez have suceeded in opening a new prosthetic-orthotic school in Bogota through Don Bosco University as well as they teach orthotics in many latin american countries. He is currently completing an orthotic residency at BioConcepts, inc, and is a member of the National Commision on Orthotic-Prosthetic Education, the International Society for Prosthetics and Orthotics, the American Academy of Orthotists and Prosthetists and the American Society of Mechanical Engineers.
Selected Publications:
Patwardhan, AG, Li, S, Gavin, T, Lorenz, M, Meade, KP, and Zindrick, M: Orthotic Stabilization of Thoracolumbar Injuries:A Biomechanical Analysis of the Jewett Hyperextension Orthosis. Spine 15(7):654-661, July 1990.
Pinzur MS, Smith D, Tornow D, Meade K, and Patwardhan A: Gait Analysis of Dysvascular Below-Knee and Contralateral Through-Knee Bilateral Amputees: A Preliminary Report. Orthopedics16(8):875-879, 1993.
Hsu ES, Patwardhan AG, Meade KP, Light TR, and Martin WR: Cross-Sectional Geometric Properties and Bone Mineral Contents of the Human Radius and Ulna. J. Biomechanics 26(11): 1307-1318,1993.
Li, S, Patwardhan, AG, Amirouche, F, Havey, R, and Meade, KP: Limitations of the Standard Linear Solid Model of Intervertebral Discs Subject to Prolonged Loading and Low-Frequency Vibrations in Axial Compression. J. Biomechanics 28(7):779-790, 1995.
Patwardhan, AG, Rimkus, A, Gavin, T, Bueche, M, Meade, KP, Bielski, R, and Ibrahim, K:Geometric Analysis of Coronal Decompensation in Idiopathic Scoliosis. Spine, May 1996.
Patwardhan, AG, Bunag, J, Meade, KP, Amirouche, F, and Lorenz, M: Viscoelastic Response of Lumbar Discs in Shear and Compression. Proceedings of the 1995 Bioengineering Conference, Beaver Creek,Colorado, June 28-July 2, 1995, ASME BED -Vol. 29, pp. 283-284, 1995.
Meade, KP, Patwardhan, AG, Gavin, T: Predictions of a Viscoelastic Model for Scoliosis.Proceedings of the 1995 Bioengineering Conference, Beaver Creek, Colorado, June 28-July 2, 1995, ASME BED-Vol. 29, pp. 531-532, 1995.
Honors and Awards:
Pi Tau Sigma
Graduation with Honors, IIT, 1974
Royal E. Cabell Fellow, Northwestern University, 1981-82
Tau Beta Pi
IIT Faculty Research Fellowship, 1984-85
Field of Specialty:
Solid Mechanics
Research Interests:
Spinal Orthotics
Biomechanics
Elasticity
Fracture Mechanics
Avinash G. Patwardhan, Ph.D.
In addition to his duties as a Professor in the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery at Loyola University Medical Center and director of the Musculoskeletal Biomechanics laboratory at the Veterans Administration Hospital, Hines, Dr Patwardhan is also an adjunct professor of mechanical engineering at Department of Mechanical, Materials and Aerospace Engineering, Illinois Institute of Technology, Chicago, Illinois and an adjunct professor of bioengineering at the Bioengineering Department, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois.He also lectures at Northwestern University Medical School, Prosthetic-Orthotic Center.
He mentors and guides the clinicians of BioConcepts in their research endeavors.Dr. Patwardhan is an internationally renowned specialist in orthopaedic biomechanics and is highly regarded for his work in the area of spinal biomechanics, biomechanics of spinal implants, and biomechanics of orthoses and prostheses.
Dr. Patwardhan received the 1982 Volvo research award, best 1993 and 1995 Journal of Prosthetics and Orthotics article, and has numerous book and journal publications to his credit. Under his direction, we strive to improve upon the techniques of orthotic treatment and have set new standards in state of the art orthotic patient care for spinal deformities, fractures and low back pain. Dr. Patwardhan also has the distinction of being elected a Fellow of American Society of Mechanical Engineers,
His memberships include:
International Society for the Study of the Lumbar Spine,
American Society of Mechanical Engineers,
American Academy of Orthotists and Prosthetists.
RECENT PUBLICATIONS:
Peer Reviewed Journal Articles: Lim TH, Patwardhan AG, Hong JH, An HS, Riley LH, Hodges S, Zindrick MR: Effect of Instrumented Lumbar Fusion on the Flexibility and Viscoelastic Properties of the Adjacent Segment: An In Vivo Canine Study. J. Musculoskeletal Research (Accepted for Publication)
Natarajan RN, Andersson GBJ, Patwardhan AG, Andriacchi TP: Effect of Graded Facetectomy on Changes in Lumbar Disc Torsional Flexibility Using Three Dimensional Continuum Contact Representation for Facet Joints. J Biomechanical Engineering (Accepted for Publication)
Khan T, Havey RM, Sayers ST, Patwardhan AG, King WW: Animal Models of Spinal Cord Injuries. Laboratory Animal Science 49(2):161-172, 1999.
Patwardhan AG, Havey RM, Meade KP, Lee B, Dunlap B: A Follower Load Increases the Load Carrying Capacity of the Lumbar Spine in Compression. Spine 24(10):1003-1009, 1999.
Steinke B, Patwardhan AG, Havey R, King D: Human Growth Hormone Transgene Expression Increases the Biomechanical Structural Properties of Mouse Vertebrae. Spine 24(1):1-4, 1999.
Payette CR, Sage RA, Gonzalez JV, Sartori M, Patwardhan AG, Vrbos L: Triple Arthrodesis Stabilization: A Quantitative Analysis of Screw Versus Staple Fixation in Fresh Cadaveric Matched-Pair Specimens. J. Foot and Ankle Surgery 37(6):472-480, 1998.
Katagiri K, Tadano S, Ukai T, Patwardhan AG, Havey RM, Ghanayem AJ:Measurement of Intradiscal Pressure Response in Low-Frequency Cyclic Loading. Transactions of the Japan Society of Mechanical Engineers 64:2429-2434, 1998.
Humphreys SC, Chase J, Patwardhan AG, Shuster J, Lomasney L, Hodges S:Flexion and Traction Effect on C5-C6 Foraminal Space. Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation 79:1105-1109, 1998.
Humphreys SC, Hodges S, Patwardhan AG, Eck JC, Shepard LC, Sartori M: The Natural History of the Cervical Foramen in Both Symptomatic and Asymptomatic Individuals as Measured by MRI. Spine 23:2180-2184, 1998.
Wang JL, Parnianpour M, Shirazi-Adl A, Engin AE, Li S, Patwardhan A: Development and Validation of a Viscoelastic Finite Element Model of an L2/L3 Motion Segment. Theoretical and Applied Fracture Mechanics 28:81-93, 1997.
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