I am Federico

"We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit."

ARISTOTLE

• The Numbers Behind My Profession
• The “Secret” of My Career
• My Background, Medical Philosophy, and Training
• My Professional Milestones

The Numbers Behind My Profession

Today, I perform:

• 250 ankle replacements per year;
• Over 700 foot surgeries annually
  

Innovations:

• I developed a new arthroscopic technique for cartilage repair
• I introduced an innovative method for ankle prosthetic surgery, and I publish over 10 scientific articles each year

Research Impact:

• More than 70 publications indexed on PubMed
• An H-Index that has grown from 3 to 23 in just seven years

These achievements are the result of a model that goes far beyond the work of a single specialist. I lead a team of surgeons entirely dedicated to the foot and ankle—not only in surgery, but also in clinical care and research.
This multidisciplinary, high-volume approach is still quite rare in Italy, where foot surgeons are often isolated professionals focused primarily on forefoot procedures, with limited involvement in academic research.

We’ve changed that paradigm.
We’ve reshaped the direction of our field.

International colleagues now come to work with us on a regular basis to gain specialized expertise. Almost every day, as we operate, we welcome visiting surgeons from across Europe and beyond who are eager to observe our techniques and learn about our organizational model.
Our recent guests have included colleagues from France, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Belgium, the Netherlands, Switzerland, China, Spain, and Poland.

The “Secret” of my Career

The key to my career is the team.
Being a young, dynamic, and highly motivated group is our way of responding to the evolving needs of our patients and the ever-changing landscape of medical science—within which we proudly see ourselves as active contributors.
I believe that who I am today is deeply shaped by the times we live in and by my international experience. It’s a journey built on both sacrifice and opportunity, and for that, I am profoundly grateful to my family and my mentors.

My Background and my Medical Philosophy

My grandfather and father, both physicians, taught me the value of being truly present and available for our patients.

In today’s world, I’ve embraced new ways of continuing that tradition—leveraging the Internet and social media as tools for connection and communication.
 Facebook plays a central role in this, alongside LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.

When a person is unwell, they don’t just need a diagnosis or a treatment plan.
They need to feel that their emotions, fears, and uncertainty are understood and respected—that these, too, are part of the healing process.

This is something I’ve always seen and experienced at home, and it has deeply shaped my approach to medicine.

That’s why I try to be available from the very first moment—when someone is still unsure or anxious about a problem—by offering a way to reach out, ask questions, and start a conversation through social media. These platforms create a space where trust can begin to form, even before the first appointment.

Today, I’m proud to see our Facebook community exceed 85,000 members.

It’s a powerful sign that the model we’ve built—centered on accessibility, empathy, and open communication—is not only appreciated, but truly valuable for our patients.

My Professional Training

My international training has shaped a strong belief in super-specialization—as a way to offer patients increasingly advanced, tailored, and effective care.

After graduating in 2008, I left for Duke University in the United States, where I had the opportunity to work under the guidance of Professors Nunley, De Orio, and Easley. Together, we contributed to defining the clinical guidelines for treating cartilage lesions of the talus using the OATS system—a cutting-edge biotechnological approach that remains relevant in the U.S. today.

Since then, we've taken that foundation even further.
I’m proud of our development of the AT-AMIC technique, a next-generation solution we designed, refined, and published over recent years. We believe it marks a true evolution beyond earlier methods.

I am deeply grateful for my time at Duke—it was formative both professionally and personally.

It was during a presentation of our early results at the AOFAS national meeting (American Orthopaedic Foot & Ankle Society) in Denver that I had a pivotal encounter. There, at age 27, I met Dr. Mark Myerson, a global icon in foot and ankle surgery. That meeting led me to join his team at the Institute for Foot and Ankle Reconstruction in Baltimore.

Today, Mark is more than a mentor—he was the best man at my wedding, and he continues to be a friend, collaborator, and source of inspiration.

Together, we share leadership roles and ideas. I serve as the only European board member of Foot and Ankle Clinics, a major U.S. opinion-leader publication, and we also work side-by-side on humanitarian initiatives through the Foot and Ankle Association.

Our mission in this association is to provide hands-on care in disadvantaged countries—but more importantly, to train local surgeons so that our presence leads to sustainable progress and a long-term impact.

In 2010, my path brought me to Liestal, Switzerland, where I trained with Professor Beat Hintermann, the pioneer behind the Hintegra ankle prosthesis. With him, I gained early insights into the transformative role that ankle replacement would come to play in treating severe arthritis.

In 2014, my scientific dedication was honored with the AOFAS Traveling Fellowship Award, granted by the American Foot and Ankle Society.

The following year, in 2015, I led a groundbreaking study as Principal Investigator on non-insertional Achilles tendinopathy, exploring—for the first time—the use of mesenchymal stem cells derived from adipose tissue in its treatment.

In 2016, my growing team joined C.A.S.C.O., a leading group at IRCCS Galeazzi in Milan, which already held Italy’s highest experience in lower limb joint replacement (hip, knee, and ankle).

Today, our group represents one of the largest experiences in Europe in ankle prosthetic surgery, and we’ve performed the highest number of prosthetic resurfacing procedures using the lateral approach.

In 2017, I helped establish Italy’s first National Registry for Ankle Prosthetic Surgery at IRCCS Galeazzi, serving as both Principal Investigator and Board Member.

Since 2019, I have been the Head of Foot and Ankle Orthopedics at Humanitas San Pio X in Milan.

I am an active member of the Board of the American Orthopaedic Foot & Ankle Society (AOFAS), a founding member of the Asia-Pacific Society for Foot and Ankle Surgery (APSFAS), a peer reviewer for the American Journal of Sports Medicine, and the only European board member of Foot and Ankle Clinics. I also participate in numerous major international research and surgical initiatives.
I serve on the board of Steps2Walk, a non-profit organization active in 14 countries. We provide care to patients in need and train local surgeons. We return several times a year to each country where we operate, with a team of over 180 volunteer surgeons.