News Story Detail

Fate sometimes appears out of nowhere. Michael Caravelli, M.D. – NorthBay Health’s newest orthopedic surgeon – experienced such a phenomena firsthand in 1995 as he prepared to enter medical school.

That’s when life threw him a curveball because he could throw a curveball.

Dr. Caravelli, who knew by the sixth grade he would someday become an orthopedic surgeon, had just graduated from UCLA. During his time at UCLA, he also found success on the baseball diamond where he pitched for the Bruins. Suddenly, the 6-foot-2, 200-pound, left-hander was faced with an opportunity to play professional baseball.

The decision gnawed at him. The thought of playing baseball professionally tempted him as much as the thought of postponing medical school somehow felt irresponsible. After all, medical school would be a nine- or ten-year commitment.

“I couldn’t believe it,” Dr. Caravelli recalled. “My advisor said, ‘Mike, don’t be in a rush. UCLA’s medical school is going to be here. You’re getting this opportunity right now. Take it. Go play!’ ”

So, Dr. Caravelli opted to play. He embarked on his baseball career in Rookie League with the Ogden Raptors, whose parent club was then the Los Angeles Dodgers. He pitched in five games with the Raptors and logged a 1-2 record with a 3.93 ERA before landing with the independent St. Paul Saints in Minnesota.

In the ensuing two years, Dr. Caravelli pitched for the Brevard County Manatees – a Class A affiliate of the Miami Marlins. Those two seasons proved to be his last, finishing his professional career with a modest 8-10 record. But he walked away from baseball far from empty handed.

Professional baseball provided the then-future doctor with enormous insight into not only the needs of athletes, but the needs of anyone else who desired to live an active life.

“Being able to take one’s skill and dreams to a certain level affects one’s confidence and how they interact with people,” Dr. Caravelli said in reflection. “And in my world, the ability to listen, to ask questions and understand a patient’s goals, that connection is everything.”

Dr. Caravelli’s arrival at NorthBay Health coincides with the addition of the Mako SmartRobotics System, which can be used in partial knee, total knee and total hip replacement. His expertise and understanding of the system allow him to now also travel the country as a roving instructor and consultant.

“The system is amazing,” Dr. Caravelli said. “It gives you the ability to individualize each joint replacement while you’re in the room during surgery. My colleagues and I have spent years understanding the functional anatomy of the hip and knee. It’s complex. Now there’s a tool where it will accurately adapt to what that individual’s joint wants at the time. It doesn’t just reduce their pain; it feels more like it’s their own joint.”

Dr. Caravelli uses the Mako for total and partial knee replacement, and hip replacements, including direct anterior, and complex knee and revision surgery. Hip replacement, with robotics – including patient-specific approaches such as the direct anterior hip approach – has grown in popularity because it helps people return to their daily life and independence even after only a few weeks of surgery. The goal is to always support and empower patients as they strive to accomplish their health objectives.

Dr. Caravelli thinks the importance of listening to the patient and understanding their goals “is everything.” He also notes that the “patient’s anatomy and needs will determine which approach will work best.” He points out that the gold standard approach – the posterior approach – is also a solid, predictable solution that allows patients to reach the same level of function after joint replacement. This, too, is offered at NorthBay Health.

Dr. Caravelli also specializes in lower extremity osteoarthritis, and served a fellowship focused on adult reconstruction.

“We need to understand how arthritis causes pain and teach people how to use their skeleton to optimize that,” he said. “The body knows how to manage arthritis, but we don’t always treat it in the right way. We need to move more. When you move, you produce healthy, non-inflammatory fluid in your joints. Exercising with intention every day supports having less pain and more ability to move.”

“I like to remind every patient that they are an athlete,” Dr. Caravelli said, “and my goal is to get them back on the field – their quality of life.”

Learn more about NorthBay Health’s Total Joint Replacement Program and request an appointment with our joint experts.