David M. Sedory M.D.’s life has a common theme — service. A soldier and a surgeon, he has dedicated his dual career to his patients and his country.
His journey began in Tampa, Fla. where he was first introduced to the world of medicine.
“My brother dislocated his shoulder a few times and had to have surgery. The surgeon let me watch some of the other surgeries he was doing that day and took a lot of time talking with me. I thought he was amazing,” Sedory said.
“That day left a big impression on me and I was pretty much hooked on orthopedics after that.”
From that young age, Sedory was determined to make his dream a reality. Using an ROTC scholarship, he attended Washington University in St. Louis, Mo., where he did his undergraduate work. Sedory went on to Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine in Cleveland, Ohio.
“I owed the military some time, so when I got done with medical school I matched into the orthopedic residency at Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio, Texas. I was there for five years,” he said.
Sedory was then stationed at Fort Stewart in Savannah in 2010 and was deployed to Afghanistan in 2011. He finished out his military career at Fort Stewart, while simultaneously working with Optim Healthcare’s orthopedic team.
“Taking care of soldiers, their families and some of the wounded coming back from overseas was an incredible honor. When you’re caring for soldiers in combat you really have to have a team approach and I have tried to apply some of those lessons to my current job with Optim,” he explained.
Once his military time ended, Sedory seamlessly transitioned into a full time position with Optim Orthopedics. There, he specializes in sports medicine, primarily focusing on the hip.
“I do shoulder, hip, and knee reconstruction. A lot of high-end cartilage repair as well as joint replacements. The hip is really my niche though. I’m the only guy in the area that does some of the hip surgeries I perform,” he said.
One of Sedory’s most popular techniques is hip arthoscopy surgery. This is a minimally invasive procedure that can treat a number of ailments, including impingement, labral tears, and tendon tears. Sedory regularly teaches his techniques at national meetings and training courses.
“It is mainly aimed at younger, active patients with the majority being between the ages of late teens and early 50s. They have a hip that is causing them pain from a labral tear or cartilage damage but it’s not broken down to the point of arthritis or needing a full hip replacement,” he said.
“I also treat a lot of older patients with tendon tears around their hips that are causing a lot of pain and function issues. Many of them have been getting the run around for years and have been told that they have bursitis. Often times the underlying problem is actually a tear much like a rotator cuff tear in the shoulder.
The procedure includes a couple of small entry point incisions that allow Sedory to access the hip and repair the damage. From his experience, the patients gain a new lease on life after the surgery.
“After the surgery, they love you. They are the happiest follow-up visits.”
Sedory can attest to the results personally, having had the surgery himself. The experience allows him an unique understanding as to what patients are going through.
“I am very well versed in the recovery process,” he said with a laugh.
Sedory shares that insight with patients at various locations across the area. He rotates between Optim offices in Savannah, Richmond Hill, Hinesville, Reidsville, and Baxley. He also works part time at clinics in Brunswick and Darien. Like the other dedicated surgeons on Optim’s team, Sedory is happy to travel to where patients are, affording them easier access to care.
“Our practice is largely built on bringing medical care to more rural areas outside of Savannah. We have outlying clinics and it’s our goal to bring quality medical care to those patients so they don’t have to travel so far,” he said.
“It allows our practice to have a big footprint. I think it’s a really positive thing for patients in our region. At least, we can meet them half way. We want to make it easier for them.”
It’s that type of high quality care that defines Optim’s mission. The doctors and staff are committed to going above and beyond to serve their patients. That is true whether they are driving to clinics or conferring with colleagues to determine the best possible course of treatment.
“I really enjoy working at Optim because we have a large private practice group with multiple surgeons. “We have a really talented group and can bounce questions off each other to make the best choices for our patients.”
While caring for his patients is a top priority, Sedory still finds time for fun with his family. Most of that, he says, involves the outdoors.
“Part of the reason I wanted to settle in Coastal Georgia was because my family really loves taking advantage of the outdoors. We love the water. My 11 year old is a fishing enthusiast,” he commented.
“We love the climate, the atmosphere and the charm of Savannah; the history too. And, although I’m not great at it, I love playing golf too and the weather is great for that here.”
From an article by Lindsey Adkison, The Brunswick News, Oct. 23, 2018.
