Claudio Diaz Ledezma, MD
Associate Professor
Orthopaedic Surgery
School of Medicine

With a robust clinical background, Dr. Díaz Ledezma has dedicated his career to advancing the field of orthopaedic surgery and joint replacement. He practiced for ten years in Chile before returning to the United States. He served as Chairman of Orthopaedics at Hospital Clínico Metropolitano El Carmen Dr. Luis Valentín Ferrada and as a member of recognized private health institutions in Chile. His tenure in these roles, along with his membership on the Adult Reconstruction Knee Program Committee of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, speaks volumes about his commitment to excellence in patient care. He also served as faculty for the American Association of Hip and Knee Surgeons Spring Meeting. Dr. Diaz Ledezma served as the President of the Chilean Society of Hip Surgery during 2023.

Surgically, he has experience in hip and knee replacement, including outpatient surgery, complex primary, and revision cases. He has been a pioneer of the use of the direct anterior approach for hip replacement in Latin America.

In addition to his clinical endeavors, Dr. Díaz Ledezma is deeply engaged in research, presenting over 100 podium presentations in 7 different countries. His editorial roles, including serving on the Editorial Board of The Journal of Arthroplasty and as Associate Editor of Revista Chilena de Ortopedia y Traumatología, underscore his dedication to shaping the discourse within his field. He has been the most cited orthopaedic surgeon in Chile during the last 3 years, being the number one expert both in hip and knee replacement in Chile.

Dr. Díaz Ledezma earned his Medical Degree from Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, the most prestigious medical school in Chile, before specializing in Orthopaedic Surgery and Traumatology at Universidad del Desarrollo, one of the leading programs in his country. He furthered his expertise with a research fellowship at in Joint Replacement Research at the Rothman Institute in Philadelphia, and after obtaining the ECFMG (Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates) certification, he completed an Adult Reconstruction Clinical Fellowship at Thomas Jefferson University/Rothman Institute. Notably, Dr. Díaz Ledezma was honored as the 2020 Rothman Ranawat Fellow by The Hip Society, a testament to his outstanding contributions and leadership within the orthopaedic community.

Outside of clinic, Dr. Díaz Ledezma enjoys embarking on adventures to parks with his daughter and wife, exploring San Francisco on foot, and savoring diverse local cuisines.

At UCSF, Dr. Díaz Ledezma will see patients at both the UCSF Orthopaedic Institute at the Mission Bay campus in San Francisco and the UCSF Redwood Shores Specialty Care Clinic. He is happy to see patients who speak Spanish.

• Inter- and intra-observer agreement using the new AOSpine sacral fracture classification, with a comparison between spine and pelvic trauma surgeons.
  Injury 2021 Meissner-Haecker A, Diaz-Ledezma C, Klaber I, Zamora T, Valencia M, Camino-Willhuber G, Astur N, Yurac R, Valacco M, Urrutia J
• Preparation for the next COVID-19 wave: The European Hip Society and European Knee Associates recommendations.
  Knee surgery, sports traumatology, arthroscopy : official journal of the ESSKA 2020 Donell ST, Thaler M, Budhiparama NC, Buttaro MA, Chen AF, Diaz-Ledezma C, Gomberg B, Hirschmann MT, Karachalios T, Karpukhin A, Sandiford NA, Shao H, Tandogan R, Violante B, Zagra L, Kort NP
• Hip fractures in the elderly Chilean population: a projection for 2030.
  Archives of osteoporosis 2020 Diaz-Ledezma C, Bengoa F, Dabed D, Rojas N, López A
• Definition of Successful Infection Management and Guidelines for Reporting of Outcomes After Surgical Treatment of Periprosthetic Joint Infection: From the Workgroup of the Musculoskeletal Infection Society (MSIS).
  The Journal of bone and joint surgery. American volume 2019 Fillingham YA, Della Valle CJ, Suleiman LI, Springer BD, Gehrke T, Bini SA, Segreti J, Chen AF, Goswami K, Tan TL, Shohat N, Diaz-Ledezma C, Schwartz AJ, Parvizi J
• General Assembly, Diagnosis, Imaging: Proceedings of International Consensus on Orthopedic Infections.
  The Journal of arthroplasty 2018 Diaz-Ledezma C, Espinosa-Mendoza R, Gallo J, Glaudemans A, Gómez-García F, Goodman S, Kaminek M, Le Roux TLB, Llinás A, Nieslanikova E, Quinn L, Sculco P, Svoboda M
• General Assembly, Treatment, Multidisciplinary Issues: Proceedings of International Consensus on Orthopedic Infections.
  The Journal of arthroplasty 2018 Anderson MB, Arciola CR, Sarvanan SA, Campoccia D, Certain L, Diaz-Ledezma C, Montanaro L, Aguilera SP, Pelt CE, Puhto AP, Sergei O, Tikhilov R, Voloshin V, Yan CH
• Hip and Knee Section, Outcomes: Proceedings of International Consensus on Orthopedic Infections.
  The Journal of arthroplasty 2018 Abblitt WP, Ascione T, Bini S, Bori G, Brekke AC, Chen AF, Courtney PM, Della Valle CJ, Diaz-Ledezma C, Ebied A, Fillingham YJ, Gehrke T, Goswami K, Grammatopoulos G, Marei S, Oliashirazi A, Parvizi J…
• Statistics In Brief: Minimum Clinically Important Difference-Availability of Reliable Estimates.
  Clinical orthopaedics and related research 2017 Maltenfort M, Díaz-Ledezma C
• Hip arthroscopy and osteoarthritis: Where are the limits and indications?
  SICOT-J 2015 Mella C, Villalón IE, Núñez Á, Paccot D, Díaz-Ledezma C
• In Reply.
  The Journal of arthroplasty 2015 Diaz-Ledezma C, Lamberton C, Lichstein PM, Parvizi J
• Does the nature of chondrolabral injury affect the results of open surgery for femoroacetabular impingement?
  Clinical orthopaedics and related research 2015 Peters CL, Anderson LA, Diaz-Ledezma C, Anderson MB, Parvizi J
• Diagnosis of Periprosthetic Joint Infection: The Role of Nuclear Medicine May Be Overestimated.
  The Journal of arthroplasty 2015 Diaz-Ledezma C, Lamberton C, Lichstein P, Parvizi J
• Diagnosis of periprosthetic joint infection in Medicare patients: multicriteria decision analysis.
  Clinical orthopaedics and related research 2014 Diaz-Ledezma C, Lichstein PM, Dolan JG, Parvizi J
• "Warning signs" of primary immunodeficiency among patients with periprosthetic joint infection.
  Journal of applied biomaterials & functional materials 2014 Diaz-Ledezma C, Baker J, Parvizi J
• Direct anterior approach for total hip arthroplasty: indications, technique, and results.
  The Journal of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons 2014 Post ZD, Orozco F, Diaz-Ledezma C, Hozack WJ, Ong A
• Prosthesis selection.
  Journal of orthopaedic research : official publication of the Orthopaedic Research Society 2014 Diaz-Ledezma C, Parvizi J, Zhou Y, Antoci V, Ducheyne P, Freiberg A, Rangel GG, Han SB, Hickok N, Higuera C, Ketonis C, Korkusuz F, Kruczynski J, Macule F, Markuszewski J, Marín-Peña O, Nathwani D, …
• Extensor mechanism reconstruction with achilles tendon allograft in TKA: results of an abbreviate rehabilitation protocol.
  The Journal of arthroplasty 2013 Diaz-Ledezma C, Orozco FR, Delasotta LA, Lichstein PM, Post ZD, Ong AC
• Prosthesis selection.
  The Journal of arthroplasty 2013 Diaz-Ledezma C, Parvizi J, Zhou Y, Antoci V, Ducheyne P, Freiberg A, Garcia Rangel G, Han SB, Hickok N, Higuera C, Ketonis C, Korkusuz F, Kruczynski J, Macule F, Markuszewski J, Marín-Peña O, Nathwani…
• Periprosthetic knee infection: ten strategies that work.
  Knee surgery & related research 2013 Parvizi J, Cavanaugh PK, Diaz-Ledezma C
• Prevention of venous thromboembolic events following femoroacetabular osteoplasty: aspirin is enough for most.
  Hip international : the journal of clinical and experimental research on hip pathology and therapy 2013 Tischler EH, Ponzio DY, Diaz-Ledezma C, Parvizi J
• Surgical approaches for cam femoroacetabular impingement: the use of multicriteria decision analysis.
  Clinical orthopaedics and related research 2013 Diaz-Ledezma C, Parvizi J
• Success after treatment of periprosthetic joint infection: a Delphi-based international multidisciplinary consensus.
  Clinical orthopaedics and related research 2013 Diaz-Ledezma C, Higuera CA, Parvizi J
• Pattern of impact of femoroacetabular impingement upon health-related quality of life: the determinant role of extra-articular factors.
  Quality of life research : an international journal of quality of life aspects of treatment, care and rehabilitation 2013 Diaz-Ledezma C, Lichstein PM, Maltenfort M, Restrepo C, Parvizi J
• Reports of magnetic resonance images of the hip in patients with femoroacetabular impingement: is useful information provided to the orthopedic surgeon?
  Skeletal radiology 2012 Diaz-Ledezma C, Casaccia M, Parvizi J
• Mini-open femoroacetabular osteoplasty: how do these patients do?
  The Journal of arthroplasty 2012 Parvizi J, Huang R, Diaz-Ledezma C, Og B
• Do previous operative reports provide the critical information necessary for revision total hip arthroplasty?
  The Journal of arthroplasty 2012 Goyal N, Diaz-Ledezma C, Tripathi M, Austin MS, Parvizi J
• [Bone allografts and the functions of bone banks].
  Revista medica de Chile 2011 Calvo R, Figueroa D, Díaz-Ledezma C, Vaisman A, Figueroa F
• The impact of lumbar scoliosis on pain, function and health-related quality of life in postmenopausal women.
  European spine journal : official publication of the European Spine Society, the European Spinal Deformity Society, and the European Section of the Cervical Spine Research Society 2011 Urrutia J, Espinosa J, Diaz-Ledezma C, Cabello C
• Lumbar scoliosis in postmenopausal women: prevalence and relationship with bone density, age, and body mass index.
  Spine 2011 Urrutia J, Diaz-Ledezma C, Espinosa J, Berven SH
• Factors associated with variability in length of sick leave because of acute low back pain in Chile.
  The spine journal : official journal of the North American Spine Society 2009 Diaz-Ledezma C, Urrutia J, Romeo J, Chelen A, González-Wilhelm L, Lavarello C