Haissam S. Elzaim, MS, MD, PhD

INTERESTS/CAREER GOAL

I enjoy practicing all orthopaedic subspecialties particularly Joint Replacement, Sports Medicine, Trauma, Foot and Ankle and Hand Surgery. I am very comfortable in fracture care, as well as, managing complicated trauma cases. My training, years of experience and commitment to ongoing learning allow me to offer my patients up to date minimally invasive procedures such as endoscopic carpal tunnel release, fully arthroscopic rotator cuff repair, all inside ACL reconstruction, minimally invasive joint replacement, joint resurfacing, partial knee resurfacing, robotic assisted partial knee and total hip replacement (MAKOPLASTY), and total/reverse total shoulder replacement.

EDUCATION

• Lebanese American University (formerly known as Beirut University College)
  Beirut, Lebanon
  Biology, BS degree with Honors, 1992
• American University of Beirut
  Beirut, Lebanon
  Human Morphology, MS degree, 1994
• University of Texas Medical Branch
  Department of Microbiology and Immunology
  Galveston, Texas
  Microbiology, PhD, 1998 (GPA 3.9/4.0)
• University of Texas Medical Branch
  Medical School
  Galveston, Texas
  MD with Honors, 2002

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

• Research Assistant
  Dept. of Human Morphology
  American University of Beirut
• Pre-Doctoral Fellow
  Dept. of Microbiology and Immunology
  UTMB
  Galveston, TX
  1994-98
• Post-Doctoral Fellow
  Dept. of Microbiology and Immunology
  UTMB
  Galveston, TX
  1998-2000
• Postgraduate Training
  Baylor College of Medicine
  Department of orthopaedic Surgery
  Houston, Texas 77030
  07/2002-06/2007
• Orthopaedic Surgeon
  HSE Orthopaedic Surgery Clinic
  Self Employed
  Cleveland, TX.
  07/2007-06/2010
• Orthopaedic Surgeon
  HCA Physicians Services
  Conroe, Texas.
  07/2010-11/2015
• Orthpaedic Surgeon
  Laredo Physicians Group
  Laredo, Texas
  12/2015-03/2017
• Orthopaedic Surgeon
  Orthopedic Institute at Renaissance
  McAllen, Texas
  05/2017-Present

TRAINING

• Orthopaedic Trauma Association
  Residents Basic Fracture Course
  Salt Lake City, Utah.
  October 8-11,2003
• Fundamentals of Microsurgery
  Successfully Completed (40 hours)
  Scott Department of Urology
  Baylor College of Medicine
  March 2006
• Endoscopic Carpal Tunnel release Workshop
  MicroAire Surgical Instruments
  Baylor College of Medicine
  May 2006
• Birmingham and Journey Deuce Training
  Smith and Nephew
  Las Vegas, NV
  December 2007
• Kyphon Balloon Kyphoplasty
  Memphis, TN
  July 26, 2008
• Oxford Unicompartmental Knee training
  Biomet
  San Francisco, CA
  October 2012
• Elite Educational Series Trauma Symposium
  Henderson, Nevada
  June 28, 2013
• Vanguard XP/ACL Sparing Knee
  Biomet
  Las Vegas, NV
  November 20, 2014
• Makoplasty Partial Knee and Total Hip Arthroplasty
  Surgical Training Program/Certified
  Stryker Orthopaedics
  Las Vegas, NV
  July 17, 2015
• Current Concepts in Shoulder Arthroplasty
  Primary and Reverse Total Shoulder Arthroplasty
  Las Vegas, NV
  May 19, 2017

RESEARCH ACTIVITIES

• While working to earn a Master degree in Human Morphology, I learned and applied a variety of immunological and histological techniques. I had the opportunity to interact with patients suffering from various autoimmune disorders and cancerous diseases since I was involved in testing for specific Human Leukocyte Antigens, as well as, immunological functions in such patients. I was also involved in an NIH funded study on Leishmania parasite conducted in Lebanon at that time. For my Masters dissertation, I examined the correlation between certain HLA markers and IDDM in the lebanese diabetic population.
• My pre-doctoral research interests were directed to a better understanding of bacterial toxins. My research project focused specifically on exotoxin A (ETA) from Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and its contribution to the overall pathogenesis of P. aeruginosa. Applying bacteriological, immunological, and molecular biology techniques I was successful in identifying important neutralizing epitopes of ETA. Targeting such epitopes using polyclonal or monoclonal antibodies could become instrumental in developing alternative or complementary therapeutic approaches to antimicrobial therapy.
• During my postgraduate training I worked with doctor Phillip Noble, a world known expert in the field of biomechanics in orthopaedic surgery, on better understanding the three dimensional morphological changes involving the proximal femur with aging. Using sophisticated and very specialized software, we completed a study to examine the relationship between osteoporosis and the morphology of the femur in females. The manuscript for the study was chosen as the best manuscript during the 2007 graduation ceremony and earned me the Hugh S. Tullos Award.

MEMBERSHIP IN PROFESSIONAL/ SCIENTIFIC SOCIETIES

• American University of Beirut Alumni, Science Sub-Committee 1992-1994
• American Society for Microbiology 1997-2001
• Sigma Xi Elected member 1998
• American Medical Association 1999-2007
• Alpha Omega Alpha Medical Honor Society 2002-Present
• American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgery Member 2002-Present
• Texas Medical association Member 06/2007-Present
• Harris County Medical Society Member 06/2007-2015
• American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgery Fellow 2011-Present
• Webb-Zapata-Jim Hogg County Medical Society Member 01-2016-Present

HONORS, AWARDS & SCHOLARSHIPS

• Honors List
  Rafik Hariri Foundation
  Beirut, Lebanon, 1990
• B.S. Degree with Honors
  Lebanese American University
  Beirut, Lebanon, 1992
• Travel Award
  American Society for Microbiology
  98th General Meeting
  Atlanta, GA 1998
• Academic Scholarship
  Lebanese American Association
  1998-1999
• Shepherd Scholarship
  The Supreme Council
  Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite
  Of Freemasonry
  1999-2000
• SPAM (Student Performing At Max) Award
  UTMB, Medical School
  Galveston, TX 1998
• Sigma Xi
  The Scientific Research Society
  Elected Associate Member
  Galveston, TX
  1998
• Kazko Arai Memorial Award
  For Excellence in Biochemistry
  UTMB, Medical School
  Galveston, TX
  1999
• Travel Award
  American Society for Microbiology
  Pseudomonas 99 Conference
  Maui, Hawaii. 1999
• Paul E. Strandjord Young Investigator Award
  American Society of Clinical Laboratory Physician and Scientists
  May 2000
• MD degree with Honors
  UTMB
  Class of 2002
• Alpha Omega Alpha
  Medical Honor Society
  Elected member 2002
  Phi Kappa Phi
  Honor Society
  Elected Member 2002
• Hugh S. Tullos Award
  Baylor College of Medicine
  Department of Orthopaedic Surgery
  Houston, Texas
  June 2007

THESIS & DISSERTATION

1. Haissam S. Elzaim. Genetic Markers Associated With Some Autoimmune Disorders: Diabetes Mellitus Type I. American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon, 1994.
2. Haissam S. El-Zaim. Generation of Neutralizing Anti-Peptide Antibodies to Pseudomonas aeruginosa Exotoxin A. The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston. Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences. Galveston, Texas, 1998

ORAL PRESENTATIONS

1. "Genetic Markers Associated with Some Autoimmune Disorders: Diabetes Type I". Thesis Defense Presentation. Dept. of Human Morphology, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon, May 5, 1994.
2. "Genetic Markers Associated with Some Autoimmune Disorders: Diabetes Type I". Inauguration Ceremony of "Chronic Care Center". Chronic Care Center, Beirut, Lebanon, June 1994.
3. "Effect of Nitric Oxide on Wound Healing in an Acute Animal Model." Oral Presentation. The Wound Healing Society, Minneapolis, MN, April 27-29th, 1995.
4. "Generation of Antibodies to a Small Region in Domain II of Pseudomonas aeruginosa ExA Which Can Neutralize its Cytotoxic Effect". Texas Branch ASM, Kimberly Gunter Hotel, San Antonio, TX., December 6, 1996
5. "Generation of Pseudomonas aeruginosa Exotoxin-A Neutralizing Antibodies Using Synthetic Peptides Strategy". Research in Progress Seminar. Dept. of Micro. & Immuno. UTMB, Galveston, TX., October 31, 1997
6. "Generation of Neutralizing Anti-Peptide Antibodies to Pseudomonas aeruginosa Exotoxin A. Fellows Meeting, Shriners Hospital for Children". Galveston, TX., June 1998.
7. "Generation of Neutralizing Anti-Peptide Antibodies to Pseudomonas aeruginosa Exotoxin A. Department of Microbiology". The University of Texas Medical Branch. Galveston, TX., June 1998.

Dr. Elzaim's Hobbies

• Tennis
• Downhill skiing
• Jogging
• Biking
• Windsurfing
• Kayaking
• Standup paddle boarding
• Traveling
• Working out