Nathanael Heckmann, MD

Dr. Nathanael Heckmann is an Associate Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery and a Clinical Scholar at the Keck School of Medicine of USC, where he also serves as Director of Arthroplasty Research in the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery.

His surgical practice focuses on treating degenerative diseases of the hip and knee, such as osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, and post-traumatic arthritis. Dr. Heckmann performs a range of advanced procedures, including minimally invasive total hip and knee replacement, partial knee replacement, surgery to fix infected and failed hip and knee replacements, and robotic-assisted and computer-navigated arthroplasty.

Dr. Heckmann’s research focuses on clinical outcomes following hip and knee arthroplasty. His specific areas of inquiry include the diagnosis, treatment, and management of infected hip and knee replacements; perioperative patient optimization, including preoperative risk stratification and postoperative risk mitigation strategies; and exploring the relationship between the human gut microbiome and surgical outcomes.

He holds leadership positions in the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, the American Association of Hip and Knee Surgeons, and the Western Orthopaedic Association. He is also a member of The Hip Society and The Knee Society. Dr. Heckmann has authored 18 textbook chapters and over 240 peer-reviewed publications. His research has been presented over 350 times at national and international conferences.

• Super Doctors: Rising Star, 2021
   – 2025
• Pasadena Magazine: Top Doctor, 2021
   – 2025
• Southern California Top Doctor & Rising Star, 2021
   – 2025
• Los Angeles Magazine: Top Doctor, 2021
   – 2025
• Western Orthopaedic Association: Young Investigator Award, 2023
   – 2025

• The Knee Society member (9/12/2024)

• Lieberman, Jay
• Demetriades, Demetrios
• Patterson, Joseph
• Oakes, Daniel
• Derogatis, Michael
• Wang, Jeffrey