Expertise
Dr. James C. Wittig is Chairman, Orthopedic Surgery; Morristown Medical Center and Medical Director, Orthopedic Oncology and Sarcoma Surgery; Atlantic Health System. Dr. Wittig also maintains an active subspecialty clinical practice that focuses on treating pediatric and adult patients with bone and soft tissue sarcomas (cancers) as well as benign bone and soft tissue tumors and metastatic cancers. Dr. Wittig also has a particular subspecialty interest and extensive experience in limb sparing surgery for shoulder girdle tumors, cryosurgery, radiofrequency ablation and minimally invasive biopsies.
At Hackensack University Medical Center
Dr. Wittig worked closely with all colleagues & members of the oncology team to provide a multidisciplinary approach for diagnosis and treatment. Expert physicians from multiple fields collaborated to provide the best care for the complex patients that Dr. Wittig treated. In addition, Dr. Wittig was actively involved with ongoing clinical and basic science research studies as well as teaching residents, fellows and medical students. He often trained visiting residents and fellows from other countries that came to the United States specifically to learn Dr. Wittig's surgical techniques and his approach for diagnosing and treating patients with musculoskeletal tumors.
Dr. Wittig served as Vice Chairman, Orthopedic Surgery, Chief of Orthopedic Oncology and Director, Skin & Sarcoma Division of The John Theurer Cancer Center. He and his colleagues in New Jersey also adopted a multidisciplinary approach for treating patients afflicted with musculoskeletal tumors and sarcomas.
Leader at NYU
In 2001, Dr Wittig started his practice in Orthopedic Oncology at NYU Medical Center and Hospital for Joint Diseases where he practiced for 6 years. While he was Assistant Professor of Orthopedic Oncology at NYU Medical Center, he was elected Teacher of the Year (2007) over 120 other orthopedic surgeons within the department. He established the first orthopedic oncology clinic for indigent care in New York City at Bellevue Hospital Center and established the Sarcoma Service at NYU-Tisch Hospital where he served as director of the sarcoma division of NYU Cancer Institute. Dr. Wittig also initiated a research/ educational fund in the name of two pioneers in the field of orthopedic oncology: Dr. Kenneth C. Francis and Dr. Ralph Marcove, after receiving a generous donation from his mentor Dr Martin Malawer, Director of Orthopedic Oncology at Washington Hospital Center and Georgetown Medical Center, Washington, DC.
Education
Dr Wittig performed a unique two year fellowship in Orthopedic Oncology at the Washington Cancer Institute of the Washington Hospital Center and Children's National Medical Center, Washington, DC. During fellowship, he also served as Sarcoma Consultant to the Surgical and Pediatric Oncology Branches of the National Cancer Institute of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda Maryland. Dr Wittig's fellowship focused on surgical treatment for bone and soft tissue sarcomas as well as benign musculoskeletal tumors. Emphasis was placed on major limb sparing surgeries, radical tumor resections and special prosthetic and bony reconstructions for large bone and joint defects following tumor resection. He also mastered specific valuable techniques in vascular and plastic surgery that are vital for successful limb sparing surgeries. These techniques included major vascular dissections that enable him to separate tumors that are adherent to major blood vessels and nerves and rotational muscle flaps and skin grafting procedures for reconstructing extremity soft tissues, soft tissue coverage of bone, joints and prostheses and for restoring muscle and extremity function.
Dr. Wittig performed his residency in Orthopedic Surgery at Columbia Presbyterian Medical Center in Manhattan where he served as Chief Resident and received an award for excellence in orthopedic surgery. He attended medical school at New York University School of Medicine and was elected to the Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Society and served as president of the society.
National Recognition
In addition to his many published works, including important original papers, extensive chapters in orthopedic oncology textbooks and extensive national lectures, Dr. Wittig's continuous desire to improve the level of care through research and education is unmatched in the field of Orthopedic Oncology.
Memberships
Dr. Wittig is a member of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons; New York State Society of Orthopaedic Surgeons, Inc.; Specialty Fellow - American Pediatric Association and the Medical Society of New Jersey.
For a more comprehensive timeline of Dr. Wittig'ss educational background, experience and published materials, please click on his CV.
Dr Wittig specializes in the surgical treatment of Pediatric and Adult:
- Extremity (arm/leg), Shoulder Girdle, Pelvic, Sacral and Spine Tumors
- Primary Bone Tumors and Bone Sarcomas
- Soft Tissue Tumors and Soft Tissue Sarcomas
- Metastatic Carcinomas or Melanoma affecting Bone or Soft Tissues
- Joint/Synovial Tumors (Pigmented Villonodular Synovitis, Chondromatosis)
- Cryosurgery for Bone Tumors
- Percutaneous Radiofrequency Ablation of Osteoid Osteoma
- Minimally Invasive Percutaneous Biopsy Techniques (CT Guided)
- Complex Reconstructive Bone and Joint Replacement Surgery
