Andrew B. Harris, MD is a fellowship-trained joint replacement surgeon in the Chicago area, focused on hip and knee replacement.
Andrew B. Harris, MD · Last reviewed September 2026
As a joint replacement surgeon in the Chicago area, Dr. Harris cares for patients with arthritis and other conditions of the hip and knee, from first-time joint replacement to complex and revision surgery. His practice is focused on the hip and knee, which means the operations on this page are the operations he performs routinely.
Choosing a surgeon for a hip or knee replacement is a decision most people make once. The following questions may be important in helping choose a surgeon.
Dr. Harris sees patients in Skokie, across the North Shore, and in the city of Chicago.
Hip and knee replacement is a subspecialty within orthopaedic surgery. Some surgeons complete an additional year of fellowship training in adult reconstruction after residency and then limit their practice to these operations.
It is worth asking how much of a surgeon’s practice is hip and knee replacement, because it shapes how often they meet the less common problems: unusual anatomy, previous fractures, and dealing with problems years later if the implant has to come out and be revised.
Dr. Harris completed his residency at The Johns Hopkins Hospital and his fellowship in adult reconstruction at the Hospital for Special Surgery. His practice is limited to the hip and knee, and he has authored more than 100 publications and presentations in orthopaedic surgery.
This is the part a patient can actually judge, and it may be the most useful signal available.
A surgeon should be able to explain why an operation is being recommended now rather than in a year, which non-surgical options exist and whether they have had a real trial, and what specifically about the examination and the imaging is driving the recommendation. It is also worth asking what happens if you wait.
For arthritis, a joint replacement is usually an elective operation, and the timing is largely your choice. Some problems, such as certain fractures, collapse of the bone, or infection, are treated sooner; your surgeon will tell you if one applies.
A second opinion is most useful when the recommendation is not straightforward. That includes imaging and symptoms that do not line up, a revision surgery being discussed, or two surgeons proposing different operations.
Second opinions are less useful for timing. Whether to have a straightforward joint replacement now or in a year is a decision that belongs to the patient rather than something a second surgeon can settle.
Surgeons are used to being asked these questions, and asking about a second opinion generally should not negatively affect the patient-physician relationship.
A joint replacement surgeon evaluates hip and knee problems and, when non-surgical care is no longer enough, replaces the worn joint surfaces with implants. Dr. Harris focuses specifically on hip and knee replacement, including complex and revision surgery.
It depends what the question is. Second opinions are most useful when the recommendation is not straightforward, such as when a revision is being discussed or when two surgeons have suggested different operations. They are less useful for deciding when to have a routine joint replacement, since that timing is largely yours.
Requirements vary by insurance plan. You are welcome to request an appointment directly, and the office can help you understand what your plan needs.
Dr. Harris sees patients in Skokie, on the North Shore, and in the city of Chicago.
Yes. Osteoarthritis is the most common reason for a hip or knee replacement but not the only one. Avascular necrosis, inflammatory arthritis, hip dysplasia, and damage years after an injury or fracture can all lead to the same operation.
General information for patients and clinicians, not a substitute for advice from your own surgeon.
If you are dealing with hip or knee arthritis and want to understand your options, you are welcome to get in touch.
