Gregory T. Bigler, M.D.
Dr. Bigler is a board certified orthopaedic surgeon, fellowship trained in sports medicine and arthroscopy. He has been practicing in Las Vegas since 1991. Dr. Bigler was born and raised in Salt Lake City, Utah and attended Brigham Young University on an academic scholarship. He interrupted his studies and traveled to Taiwan for two years to perform a service mission for his church. Upon returning to BYU he received a degree in Chinese language studies, with a minor in biology. Dr. Bigler went to medical school at the University of Utah. His wife, Sally, taught science in secondary school while in Salt Lake helping to support their family. Dr. Bigler published several scientific papers while in medical school and graduated with honors. He performed his orthopaedic training at the University of Oregon.
Upon completion of his orthopaedic training, Dr. Bigler chose to sub-specialize in the expanding field of sports medicine and arthroscopy. Arthroscopy is a surgical technique using small telescopes and instruments to treat diseases of the joints. Dr. Bigler completed his sports medicine and arthroscopy fellowship at Harvard Medical School at the Massachusetts General Hospital. While a sports medicine fellow his responsibilities included helping to take care of the New England Patriots football team, the Boston Bruins hockey team, as well as the Harvard athletic teams. After his fellowship Dr. Bigler was among six physicians selected nationally to do a traveling fellowship where he traveled the world learning and teaching orthopedic techniques.
Since coming to Las Vegas, Dr. Bigler has been a team physician in the UNLV Athletic Department and with the CSN teams as well. He has served on the San Diego Padres physician staff, and is currently an assistant clinical professor at the University of Nevada, School of Medicine. He has served as the Nevada delegate to the American Orthopedic Society for Sports Medicine, and is again serving in that position.
Dr. Bigler and his wife Sally have raised five children in Las Vegas, and have several grandchildren being raised in Las Vegas. They are active in their community volunteering in the schools, the scouting program, coaching youth sports and involved in church organizations.
Education
- Brigham Young University Provo, Utah B.A. Chinese Language Studies
- University of Utah College of Medicine, Salt Lake City, Utah
Training
- University of Oregon, Portland, Oregon
- Harvard Medical School
- Orthopaedic Sports Medicine Fellowship
- Clinical Fellow Massachusetts General Hospital (1990-1991)
- Orthopaedic Surgeon, Harvard University Health Service (1990-1991)
Research
- ‘Increased Endosteal Bone Loss After Total Hip Arthroplasty.’ A.A., Bigler, G.T., France, E.P., et al. in Orthopaedic Transactions 1:336, 1986. Published Clinical Orthopaedics and R.R. Aug. 1989.245:135
- ‘Medical Physeal Stapling for Ankle Valgas’ Bigler, G.T., Aiona, A.E., Campbell, P. Presented at Pediatric Orthopaedic Society of North America Meeting, Seoul, Korea June 1991
- ‘Open vs. Arthroscopically Assisted ACL Reconstructions. A Prospective Study’ Presented at Western Pacific Orthopaedic Association Meeting, Seoul, Korea, June 1991
- ‘Shoulder Injuries in the Throwing Athlete’ Presented to Harvard Orthopaedic Sports Medicine Conference, Boston, MA July 1991
- Presented ‘Evaluation of the Acutely Injured Knee’ Physician’s Assistant Conference, Las Vegas, Nevada 1991
- ‘Donor Age Does Not Influence Biomechanical Properties of Bone Patella Tendon Bone Allografts’ Blevins, Bigler, G.T., Boland, Hayes Published in American Journal of Sports Medicine August 1993
- ‘DVT Prophylaxis State of the Art’ Presented at Hawaii Orthopaedic Association Meeting 1996
- Enoxaparin versus Warfarin-Hospital Management for Preventionof DVT Following Total Hip Arthroplasty’ Colwell, Collis, Bigler, Hardwick, Cohen, Lutz. Published in the Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery March 1997.
- ‘Autologous Chondrocyte Transplantation Three Year Follow-Up’ Presented at Hawaii Orthopaedic Association Meeting Honolulu, Hawaii, October 2000
- Autologous Chondrocyte Transplantation Results in Future’ North American Athletic Trainers Association Conference Las Vegas, Nevada 2000
- ‘Evaluation of Shoulder Injuries in a Throwing Athlete’ Presented to the North American Athletic Trainers Association Conference, Las Vegas, Nevada 2003
Positions and Affiliations
- Team Physician Harvard University Athletic Department 1990-1991
- Assistant Team Physician New England Patriots NFL Football Team 1990-1991
- Assistant Team Physician Boston Bruins NHL Hockey Team 1990-1991
- AOSSM Asian Traveling Fellow to Singapore, Bangkok, Hong Kong, Guanzou, Taipei, Tokyo and Seoul
- Western Pacific Orthopaedic Association Meeting 1991 Moderator for Meniscal Repair Segment
- Head Team Physician Las Vegas Thunder Professional Hockey Team 1993-1997
- Associate Clinical Professor of Medicine at the University of Nevada School of Medicine 1993 to present
- Chairman Orthopaedic Segment at the University of Nevada Las Vegas Student Health Service 1993 -2004
- Assistant Team Physician San Diego Padres Major League Baseball Team, Head Team Physician AAA Affiliate, Las Vegas Stars 1995-2000
- Orthopaedic Surgeon, UNLV Athletic Department 1991-present
- Assistant Team Physician Los Angeles Dodger Major League Baseball Team
- Team Orthopaedic Surgeon for AAA Affiliate Las Vegas “51’s”
Current Memberships
- Fellow, American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons
- Member, Nevada Orthopaedic Association
- Founding Member of the Magellan Society (1995)
- Member, Clark County Medical Association
- Member, Western Pacific Orthopaedic Association
- Honorary Member, Thailand Orthopaedic Association
- Honorary Member, Hong Kong Orthopaedic Sports Medicine Association
- Member, American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine (AOSSMM)
- Member, Western Pacific Orthopaedic Association (WPOA)
- Chief of Surgery at Summerlin Hospital 1997 – 2002