In Memory of Dr. Lawrence D. Dorr (April 13, 1941 – December 28, 2020)

I write these words in memory of Dr. Lawrence D. Dorr, who served as the Deputy Editor of Hip & Pelvis.

On one August afternoon in 1998, I met Dr. Dorr for the first time at his office in Los Angeles Orthopaedic Hospital, greeted by his bright smile. Since then, the clinical fellowship experience with Dr. Dorr has greatly influenced my journey as a hip surgeon even after my return to South Korea.

He was not only a truly passionate surgeon who performed over ten surgeries daily even in his sixties, but was also a warm-hearted guardian to his disciples, nurses, and colleagues.

During my days studying the clinical outcome of total hip arthroplasty, Dr. Dorr would selflessly guide my research amid busy schedules, often after changing from his sweat-soaked surgical gown. I remember him as a 'walking journal' who memorized all the major orthopedic journals, such as JBJS (Journal of Bone & Joint Surgery) and CORR (Clinical Orthopaedics and Related Research), down to the authors and publishing years. His profound insight was critical in formulating the discussion points of my thesis. Dr. Dorr devoted his life to imparting his surgical technique to young doctors from overseas, particularly from Asia, who were aspiring to train in the field of hip arthroplasty. During the Asian Financial Crisis when overseas training was highly challenging, I was able to finish my training in Los Angeles thanks to the kind financial support by Dr. Dorr. Even after the training, he would invite and accommodate all his students including myself to 'Master Series', an international seminar participated by world-renowned experts in the field of hip and knee arthroplasty.

Dr. Dorr passed away on the last Sunday night of 2020, which means the world lost the most prominent hip surgeon. Dr. Dorr has the honor of being President of the Hip Society. He also has been President of the Knee Society, the sister society of the Hip Society, which has membership of 100 of the leading knee replacement surgeons and researchers; and of the American Association of Hip and Knee Surgeons which has a membership of 1,000 hip and knee replacement surgeons in the United States. He was a founder of both the Knee Society and the American Association of Hip and Knee Surgeons.

He began designing implants for the benefit of patients in 1982. The APR stem was first marketed in 1984 and remains in use today with the shape and fixation surface unchanged since the early 1990s¹,²,³,⁴⁾.

Dr. Dorr was one of the first surgeons to use hydroxyapatite as a fixation surface on hip implants. He implanted the first HA-coated stem in 1983 and has published several articles on this fixation surface⁵⁾.

The posterior minimally invasive surgery operation designed by Dr. Dorr has been the most studied and most successful minimally invasive surgery total hip replacement by published reports⁶,⁷⁾.

Dr. Dorr reintroduced metal-on-metal into the United States in 1991. He implanted these as custom implants and with a Food and Drug Administration (FDA) study until 1996. After being reprimanded by the FDA for an irregularity in that study, metal-on-metal was stopped until 1999 when approved by the FDA⁸,⁹,¹⁰⁾.

Dr. Dorr was the leading clinical researcher for computer navigation for total hip replacement. His data has proved the accuracy of using navigation for implanting the acetabular and femoral components and restoring correct leg length and offset for the hip. This technology, combined with the use of large femoral head, essentially eliminates impingement which improves stability, reduces wear, loosening, and pain with total hip replacement¹¹,¹²⁾.

Dr. Dorr's enormous financial success meant that he had the means to help those who had nothing. He was the founder of Operation Walk, an organization that provided the gift of mobility to those who lacked it, and who absent Dorr's generosity with his money and his skills, would have spent the rest of their days immobile.

His remarkable academic achievements as the President of the American Association of Hip and Knee Surgeons as well as numerous awards and theses truly deserve the admiration of all orthopedic surgeons.

When I was elected Editor-in-Chief for the Hip & Pelvis journal three years ago, I respectfully requested Dr. Dorr for the role of Deputy Editor, which he graciously accepted in a heartbeat.

I wish to extend my deepest appreciation to Dr. Dorr for his significant contributions to the Hip & Pelvis journal.

May his soul rest in peace.