Nicholas Colyvas, MD
Professor
Orthopaedic Surgery
School of Medicine

Dr. Nicholas Colyvas is an orthopedic sports medicine surgeon who specializes arthroscopic and minimally invasive surgery of the knee and shoulder, with particular interest in meniscus preservation. He is recognized as a leader in the field of meniscus repair and preservation and frequently gives talks and seminars on the topic.

Show full bio (220 words) Hide full bio

In clinical practice he is actively involved in evaluating and using new techniques and devices for meniscus repair, frequently treating complex or challenging meniscus cases, and allowing for preservation where resection would typically have occurred.

In addition Dr Colyvas has subspecialty interests in shoulder instability, rotator cuff surgery and biceps tendon surgery. He has extensive experience in treating athletes of all types, both professional and amateur. He has also served as team physician for numerous sports, including rugby and football teams.

Dr Colyvas' main research is in the field of meniscus preservation. He investigates cutting edge techniques in meniscus repairs, with the goal of preventing knee arthritis in the long term. He is also active in improving techniques for treating rotator cuff tears and biceps tendon problems.

Dr. Colyvas earned his medical degree at University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg, South Africa. He then completed a fellowship as well as a residency in orthopedic surgery at UCSF.

Dr Colyvas is a member of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, where he served on the practice management committee for many years. He also serves on the board at the California Orthopaedic Association. As Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery at UCSF, he enjoys teaching Orthopaedic fellows and residents, and assisting in the care of complex and challenging knee and shoulder surgeries.

Awards

Show all (1) Hide

• Distigueshed Clinical Faculty Award, UCSF, 2013

Education & Training

Show all (6) Hide

• Orthopaedic Surgery Residency Orthopaedic Surgery UCSF 1996
• Orthopaedic Surgery Fellowship Orthopaedic Surgery UCSF 1992
• General Surgery Internship General Surgery UCSF 1991
• Post Doctoral Research Fellowship Cardiovascular Research Institute UCSF 1989
• MD Bachelor of Surgery and Medicine Witwatersrand 1987
• BS Bachelor of Science, Medicine Witwatersrand University 1980

Interests

Show all (13) Hide

• Orthopaedic Surgery
• PCL Surgery
• Sports Medicine
• Rotator cuff surgery
• Meniscus repair
• Biceps surgery
• Shoulder labral surgery
• Cartilage Surgery
• Knee Ligament Surgery
• Knee fracture surgery
• Shoulder instability surgery
• ACL Surgery
• Meniscus Surgery

Websites

Show all (2) Hide

• UCSF Meniscus Preservation Center (meniscus.ucsf.edu)
• Posts on X DrNickColyvas (X.com)

Videos

Show all (3) Hide

• Surgery or Not Surgery: Case Discussion with Dr. Nicholas Colyvas (youtube.com)
• Complex Medial meniscus Tear: vertical/bucket handle and deep horizontal cleavage components (youtube.com)
• Complex Medial Meniscus Tear: Repair Technique (youtube.com)

Publications (9)

Top publication keywords:
SaralasinEndarterectomy, CarotidArthroscopyTriglyceridesApolipoproteins BArteriosclerosisPulmonary EmbolismVenous ThromboembolismAnticoagulantsHeart FailureVenous ThrombosisCholesterol, HDLCarotid StenosisLipoproteinsDiscriminant Analysis

• Extensor Mechanism Reconstruction Using Achilles Tendon Allograft With Suture Tape Augmentation.
  Arthroscopy techniques 2023 Halvorson RT, Dilallo M, Garcia-Lopez E, Colyvas N, Wong SE
• Surgical repair of symptomatic medial clavicular fracture nonunion using a reversed distal clavicle plate: a report of 3 cases.
  JSES reviews, reports, and techniques 2023 Anigwe C, Colyvas N, Lansdown DA
• Arthroscopic Decompression of a Posterior Knee Cyst Causing Vascular Compression.
  Arthroscopy techniques 2022 Padaki AS, Alrabaa RG, LaRoque E, Colyvas N
• Perioperative Thromboprophylaxis Is Associated With Lower Risk of Venous Thromboembolism After Knee Arthroscopy.
  Arthroscopy : the journal of arthroscopic & related surgery : official publication of the Arthroscopy Association of North America and the International Arthroscopy Association 2022 Holler JT, Salesky M, Halvorson RT, Zhang AL, Ma CB, Feeley BT, Leavitt AD, Colyvas N, Lansdown DA
• Triglyceride-rich lipoproteins isolated by selected-affinity anti-apolipoprotein B immunosorption from human atherosclerotic plaque.
  Arteriosclerosis and thrombosis : a journal of vascular biology 1994 Rapp JH, Lespine A, Hamilton RL, Colyvas N, Chaumeton AH, Tweedie-Hardman J, Kotite L, Kunitake ST, Havel RJ, Kane JP
• Inhibition of injury induced intimal hyperplasia by saralasin in rats.
  Journal of vascular surgery 1992 Pan XM, Nelken N, Colyvas N, Rapp JH
• Relation of plasma lipid and apoprotein levels to progressive intimal hyperplasia after arterial endarterectomy.
  Circulation 1992 Colyvas N, Rapp JH, Phillips NR, Stoney R, Perez S, Kane JP, Havel RJ
• Poster 222: Venous Thromboembolism Risk factors and Prophylaxis Patterns in Knee Arthroscopy: A Large Database Study.
  Orthopaedic Journal of Sports Medicine 2022 Madeleine Salesky, Ryan Halvorson, Alan Zhang, Brian Feeley, C. Benjamin Ma, Nicholas Colyvas, Andrew Leavitt, Drew Lansdown, Jordan Holler
• Inhibition of injury induced intimal hyperplasia by saralasin in rats.
  Journal of Vascular Surgery 1992 Samuel A. Santoro, Xian-Mang A. Pan, Nicolas A. Nelken, Nicholas A. Colyvas