ONS Spotlight on Sports Medicine Specialist Dr. Demetris Delos

Get to know Fellowship trained Sports Medicine Specialist Dr. Demetris Delos and learn what drives his personal approach in caring for patients. Dr. Delos is Board-Certified in Orthopaedic Surgery. His practice focuses on shoulder, knee, and elbow surgery, as well as joint replacement. Dr. Delos sees patients at ONS in Greenwich and Stamford, CT.

What is your philosophy to your practice?

Whether a patient is a teenage athlete or an adult with a chronic degenerative joint condition, I believe it is very important to first listen closely to what the patient has to say and to understand how their condition is causing them pain and how it is impacting their function.

I strive to know what the patient’s activities and lifestyle are like, and what their goals are for recovery. Patient education is very important. I want my patients to understand how, through the physical examination and diagnostic imaging, I can determine their diagnosis and present their best options for treatment. Most of the time, the appropriate course is non-operative. Through a combination of physical therapy, medications, and braces, most conditions can be managed successfully.  Sometimes innovative regenerative medicine and biologic forms of treatment are required.  When surgery is indicated however, it is important for the patient to have a clear understanding of what is involved and what to expect as we work together as a team to achieve the best outcomes.

What are your personal interests outside of your practice?

Outside the office my focus is on my family. My wife and I have four children and they keep us very busy. On the weekends I am often coaching one of their sports teams – lately it has been my older children’s soccer teams.

I also love to play golf, ski and I weight-train. My wife and I travel when we can, and we particularly enjoyed traveling to Greece, California wine country, Paris, and Puerto Rico.

What made you choose to become an orthopaedic surgeon?

I have always had a keen interest in science and engineering even from a young age. I studied both subjects in high school and college, but after I underwent a major knee surgery as a teenager, my interest in biology and especially musculoskeletal medicine deepened. I personally experienced how orthopaedic surgery could radically impact and enhance someone’s functional ability and lifestyle. Today, much of my practice evolves around the treatment of athletes of all ages and I serve as a team physician for various college athletic departments and local high schools.

What trends do you see in your specialty?

Sports medicine and joint reconstruction is heading towards more individualized or customized treatments that include patient specific instrumentation and using synthetic grafts made with 3-D printing and artificial intelligence. I also anticipate an increased use of biologic therapies through a better understanding of growth factors, stem cells and other critical immune cells so we can preserve joint surfaces. Perhaps one day we will no longer even need graft transplants or joint replacements!

How do you stay current in your field?

I regularly serve as a reviewer for articles submitted for publication in major orthopaedic journals and have published more than 35 peer reviewed articles in the orthopaedic literature.

I also host a monthly journal club where we review orthopaedic studies in detail and discuss best treatment options with other physicians and physical therapists. I am an active member of various orthopaedic societies, including AAOS (American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons), AOSSM (American Orthopaedic Society of Sports Medicine), and AANA (Arthroscopy Association of North America).  Lastly, I participate in various subcommittees within those societies and attend regular conferences and seminars.