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Stephen G. Thon
Stephen G. Thon, MDOrthopedic & Sports Medicine Surgeon

Stephen G. Thon, MDOrthopedic & Sports Medicine SurgeonShoulder, Elbow, Knee & sports medicine Specialist

Dr. Stephen Thon is an orthopedic surgeon born and raised in Denver, Colorado now practicing in the south Denver area. He is fellowship trained in the field of orthopedic Sports Medicine where he received expert training in arthroscopic and minimally invasive orthopedic procedures. His focus is on advanced arthroscopic techniques for repair and complex reconstruction of the shoulder, elbow, hip, and knee joints. He has received specialized training in primary and revision rotator cuff repair surgery, shoulder instability surgery, anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction, and shoulder replacement (shoulder arthroplasty). Dr. Thon also has a special interest in injury prevention, especially for youth and adolescent athletes.

Dr. Thon grew up in southeast Denver and attended Cherry Creek High School. He completed his undergraduate degree from the University of Colorado - Boulder with bachelors degrees in Biochemistry and Integrative Physiology while playing collegiate and club rugby. He earned his medical degree (MD) and completed his Orthopedic Surgery Residency at Tulane University in New Orleans, LA, where he was a Chief Resident.

Following his residency training, Dr. Thon sought out sub-specialty training in the field of Orthopedic Sports Medicine and Shoulder surgery at the University of Colorado - Anschutz Medical Center. During his fellowship, he served as team physician for the NHL Colorado Avalanche; University of Colorado Buffaloes football, basketball, and soccer teams; Denver University Pioneers hockey, soccer, and lacrosse teams; along with a variety of local high school athletic teams in the Denver/Boulder area. Dr. Thon’s fellowship training focused on the surgical management of complex sports injuries in athletes of all levels. Dr. Thon takes care of athletes and non-athletes alike. He is committed to providing the highest quality of care for his patients so they may return to the life they want as quickly and safely as possible. In addition to his clinical work, he is dedicated to advancing the field of orthopedics through research and has published multiple articles and book chapters throughout his career.

After completing his fellowship, Dr. Thon started practice in Denver, CO to be close to his family and serve the community that he grew up in. When not practicing orthopedics, Dr. Thon can be found enjoying the outdoors with his wife, Keleigh, and their two dogs Blue and Hefe. They love participating in every season Colorado has to offer from taking the dogs hiking in the summer and skiing in the winter. He is an ardent fan of all Colorado sports including the Broncos, Avalanche, Nuggets, and Rockies and an adopted fan of the New Orleans Saints.

  • Medical School

    Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA
    Doctor of Medicine (M.D.) 08/2010 - 05/2014

  • Undergraduate

    University of Colorado, Boulder, CO
    Biochemistry (B.A.), Integrative Physiology (B.A.), Chemistry (minor)08/2005 - 05/2010

  • High School

    Cherry Creek High School
    Greenwood Village, CO Class of 2005

  • Tulane Orthopedics Class Award 2019

    Tulane Orthopedics Class Case Log Award - 2019

    Recognition to the resident who participated in and performed the most cases throughout entirety of residency. Awarded for 2018-2019 resident class year.

  • Alpha Omega Alpha 2019

    Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society - 2019

    Nominated as resident member to National Medical Honor society. New Orleans, LA.

    Read more

  • Herodicus Award 2018

    Herodicus Society - American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine - Jul 2018

    American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine (AOSSM) Annual Meeting 2018. July 5-8, 2018. San Diego, CA. Awarded Best Paper by the Herodicus Society for "Evaluation of Healing Rates and Safety using a Bio-inductive Collagen Patch for Large and Massive Rotator Cuff Tears: Two year Safety and Clinical Outcomes" Read more

  • Tulane Orthopaedic Research Award 2018

    Tulane University Orthopaedics Department - Jun 2018

    Recognition for Excellence in Orthopaedic Research.

  • Louisiana Orthopaedic Association (LOA) Annual Meeting - 2018

    Awarded Best Resident Paper for "Evaluation of Healing Rates and Safety using a Bio-inductive Collagen Patch for Large and Massive Rotator Cuff Tears: Two year Safety and Clinical Outcomes" Read more

  • AANA Resident Scholarship 2017

    Arthroscopy Association of North America - May 2017

    Scholarship awarded by Arthroscopy Association of North America (AANA) to attend 2017 Annual Meeting; Denver, CO

  • Tulane Orthopedics Case Log Award 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019

    Recognition to the resident who participated in and performed the most cases in a single year of residency.

    Awarded for 2016, 2017, 2018, and 2019 resident years.

  • Caldwell Award

    Tulane University Orthopaedics Department - May 2014

    Recognition of outstanding performance in clinical orthopaedics, Tulane University School of Medicine

  • Belk JW, Thon SG, Hart J, McCarty EC, McCarty EC. Subpectoral versus suprapectoral biceps tenodesis yields similar clinical outcomes: a systematic review. Journal of ISAKOS : joint disorders & orthopaedic sports medicine 10.1136/jisakos-2020-000543
    PMID: 34016736
  • Thon SG, Branche K, Houck DA, Didinger T, Vidal AF, Frank RM, Bravman JT. “Effectiveness of Latarjet for Anterior Shoulder Instability in Patients with Seizure Disorder.” JSES Int. 2021;5(2):171-174.
    PMID: 33681833
  • Belk JW, Jones SD, Thon SG, Frank RM. “Trends in the treatment of biceps pathology: an analysis of the american board of orthopaedic surgery database.” Orthop J Sports Med. 020;8(12):2325967120969414.
    PMID: 33447620
  • Frank RM, Thon SG, Tokish JM, et al. “Management of shoulder instability in 2020: what, when, and how.” Instr Course Lect. 2021;70:3-22.
    PMID: 33438901
  • Belk JW, McCarty EC, Houck DA, Dragoo JL, Savoie FH, Thon SG. Tranexamic acid use in knee and shoulder arthroscopy leads to improved outcomes and fewer hemarthrosis-related complications: a systematic review of level I and II studies. Arthroscopy. Published online December 2, 2020.
    PMID: 33278534
  • Salem HS, Park DH, Thon SG, et al. Return to golf after shoulder arthroplasty: a systematic review. Am J Sports Med. Published online July 17, 2020:363546520923070. PMID: 32678680
  • Belk JW, Kraeutler MJ, Thon SG, Littlefield CP, Smith JH, Mccarty EC. “Augmentation of Meniscal Repair With Platelet-Rich Plasma: A Systematic Review of Comparative Studies.” Orthop J Sports Med. 2020;8(6):2325967120926145.
    PMID: 32596408
  • Thon SG, Belk JW, Bravman JT, McCarty EC, Savoie FH 3rd. Regeneten bio-inductive collagen scaffold for rotator cuff tears: indications, technique, clinical outcomes, and review of current literature. Ann Joint 2020;5:41. DOI: 10.21037/aoj.2020.03.04
  • Jones SD, Thon SG, Frank RM. “Shoulder and elbow education during COVID19-perspectives from the resident, fellow, and attending level.” Journal of Shoulder and Elbow Surgery. 2020;
    PMID: 32446761
  • Bohlen HL, Schwartz ZE, Wu VJ, Thon SG, et al. “Platelet-Rich Plasma Is an Equal Alternative to Surgery in the Treatment of Type 1 Medial Epicondylitis.” Orthopaedic Journal of Sports Medicine. 2020;8(3):2325967120908952.
    PMID: 32232070
  • Thon SG, Seidl AJ, Bravman JT, McCarty EC, Savoie FH, Frank RM. “Advances and Update on Reverse Total Shoulder Arthroplasty.” Current Reviews Musculoskeletal Medicine. 2020;13(1):11-19.
    PMID: 31884675
  • Wu VJ, Thon SG, Finley Z, et al. “Double-Row Repair for Recalcitrant Medial Epicondylitis.” Orthopedic Journal of Sports Medicine. 2019;7(12):2325967119885608. PMID: 31903395
  • Thon SG, O'Malley L, O'Brien MJ, Savoie FH. “Evaluation of Healing Rates and Safety With a Bioinductive Collagen Patch for Large and Massive Rotator Cuff Tears: 2-Year Safety and Clinical Outcomes.” American Journal of Sports Medicine. 2019:363546519850795.
    PMID: 31150274
    *Herodicus Award, LOA Top Resident Paper Award*
  • Thon SG, Savoie FH. “Rotator Cuff Repair: Patch the Shoulder.” Arthroscopy. 2019;35(4):1014-1015.
    PMID: 30954094
  • Bohlen HL, Gargiulo DJ, Thon SG. “Occlusion Outside the Norm: A Unique Case of the Pulseless, Well-Perfused Hand Following Closed Humeral Shaft Fracture.” Orthopedics. 2019;42(2):e279-e281.
    PMID: 30540878
  • Bohlen HL, Thon SG, Savoie FH. “Management of the Painful Throwing Shoulder.” International Congress for Joint Reconstruction-Online. 2018; Sept.
  • Thon, Stephen G; Williams, Garrett H; Savoie III, Felix H. “Debridement and Releases to Set Up for Revision Success”. The Failed Rotator Cuff: Repair, Revision, Augments, Replacement: ISAKOS consensus book. Savoie FH, Calvo E, Mazzocca AD. Cham, Switzerland: Springer Nature, 2021. Print.
  • Williams, Garrett H; Thon, Stephen G; Savoie III, Felix H. “Repair and Augmentation: Overview”. The Failed Rotator Cuff: Repair, Revision, Augments, Replacement: ISAKOS consensus book. Savoie FH, Calvo E, Mazzocca AD. Cham, Switzerland: Springer Nature, 2021. Print.
  • Belk, John W; McCarty Jr, Eric C.; Thon, Stephen G; McCarty, Eric C. “Rotator Cuff Anatomy and Blood Supply”. The Failed Rotator Cuff: Repair, Revision, Augments, Replacement: ISAKOS consensus book. Savoie FH, Calvo E, Mazzocca AD. Cham, Switzerland: Springer Nature, 2021. Print.
  • Thon, Stephen G; Frank, Rachel. “Complete Distal Biceps Ruptures”. The Management of Biceps Pathology: A Clinical Guide from the Shoulder to the Elbow. 1st Edition. Romeo AA, Erickson BJ, Griffin JW. Cham, Switzerland: Springer Nature, 2021. Print.
  • Thon, Stephen G; Mulcahey, Mary K; Savoie, Felix H. “THE ELBOW”. Making the Diagnosis in Orthopaedics: A Multimedia Guide. 1st Edition. Miller MD, Dempsey IJ. Philadelphia: Wolters Kluwer, February 2019. Print.
  • Thon, Stephen G; O’Brien, Michael J; Savoie, Felix H. “Arthroscopic HAGL and RHAGL Repair”. An Atlas of Advanced Shoulder Arthroscopy. 2nd Edition. Imhoff AB, Ticker JB, Mazzocca A, Voss A. Boca Raton: CRC Press, December 2017. Print.

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