George T. Liu, D.P.M., is an Associate Professor in the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery at UT Southwestern Medical Center as is a Doctor of Podiatric Medicine. He specializes in the surgical treatment for foot and ankle trauma, foot and ankle reconstruction, and revisional reconstructive surgery.
Dr. Liu earned his doctoral degree in podiatric medicine at Temple University School of Podiatric Medicine. He completed his podiatric medicine and surgery residency at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, and received advanced training through orthopaedic trauma fellowships at University of Catania Emanuele Hospital (Italy) and Carl Gustav Carus University Hospital (Germany).
Dr. Liu joined the UT Southwestern faculty in 2009. He is board-certified in foot surgery and reconstructive rearfoot/ankle surgery.
His clinical and research interests include foot and ankle trauma, deformity correction, arthroscopic surgery, joint preservation and replacement surgery for foot and ankle arthritis, deformities from past injuries, and Charcot foot.
Dr. Liu has published over 35 scholarly peer-review articles; delivered over 250 invited lectures; and authored ten book chapters on the topics of foot and ankle trauma and reconstruction in McGlamry's Comprehensive Textbook of Foot and Ankle Surgery, Complications in Foot and Ankle Surgery, and International Advances in Foot and Ankle Surgery.
Among his many awards and recognitions, he is a 2016 inductee of the American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons Leadership Hall of Fame. He was named one of America’s Most Influential Podiatrists in 2017 by Podiatry Management and a Best Doctor multiple times by D Magazine. In 2019, Dr. Liu was the recipient of the Distinguished Former Odessan Award by the Heritage of Odessa Foundation from his hometown of Odessa, Texas.
Dr. Liu is a Fellow and currently serves on the Board of Directors of the American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons.
He is also a member of several professional organizations including the AOTrauma, the American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons, the American Podiatric Medical Association, the Texas Podiatric Medical Association, and the AO North America.
Foot and Ankle Surgeon
In the instant before a car crash, people instinctively brace their feet against the floorboard. Unfortunately, that can cause severe injuries like a broken heel bone, midfoot, or ankle. These types of injuries are very familiar to George Liu, D.P.M., who specializes in surgical management for the traumatized foot or ankle, including bones, joints, tendons and ligaments injuries. Dr. Liu is board certified in reconstructive rearfoot/ankle surgery and is dual fellowship trained.
"We are using an alternative surgical approach to manage calcaneal fractures (or broken heels), which can be difficult to treat. It is called the sinus tarsi approach. We have been able to decrease the wound complication rates to less than 5 percent.”
An Associate Professor in the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery at UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dr. Liu cares for patients who have foot and ankle fractures from automotive accidents, sporting injuries and falls as well as myriad other severe foot and ankle injuries. Painful arthritis and deformities as a long-term complication of these injuries are among the problems he sees on a regular basis. “The goal in trauma and reconstruction surgery is not only to restore the structure of the foot and ankle, but more importantly, its function as well,” says Dr. Liu.
Another area of Dr. Liu’s expertise is treating people with advanced foot or ankle bone damage from diabetes. A particular cause of severe foot and ankle deformity in diabetes is a condition called Charcot (pronounced shar-ko) arthropathy – a painless inflammatory disease that rapidly destroys joints in the foot and ankle. Because diabetes can reduce sensation, deformities from Charcot can cause ulcers, which can lead to infection and sometimes amputation.
“We tend to be the center to take care of severe deformities caused by Charcot,” says Dr. Liu. “Though this is commonly managed by other physicians, we are usually referred the more complicated cases. These patients typically have other associated problems related to diabetes and often require a multidisciplinary approach.”
Wherever possible, Dr. Liu chooses surgical techniques that minimizes harm to surrounding structures. “My approach is more minimal-incision surgery: soft-tissue sparing procedures, percutaneous techniques, or arthroscopic techniques to achieve the same goal while reducing complications from large incisions,” he says. “These are soft tissue-friendly procedures.”
Among his research interests, he is studying methods of diagnosing injuries to the ankle syndesmosis, which is ligament damage commonly seen with ankle fractures or a high ankle sprain. Dr. Liu teaches and lectures nationally and internationally to fellow physicians and surgeons. In addition, Dr. Liu is a section editor for the Journal of Foot and Ankle Surgery. D Magazine has named him a Best Doctor for 2012, 2015-2018, and 2021-2022.
