Alek Mika, MD

Specialties:
Locations:
West Cary-Panther Creek, Raleigh, & Wakefield
Call:  (919) 781-5600
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Meet Dr. Alek Mika – Total Joint Replacement Specialist in NC

Dr. Alek Mika is a fellowship-trained orthopaedic surgeon specializing in Total Joint Replacement and Revision Surgery at Raleigh Orthopaedic Clinic.

Dr. Mika provides comprehensive operative and nonoperative care for patients with hip and knee arthritis, including osteoarthritis, inflammatory arthritis, and post-traumatic arthritis. He specializes in primary and revision hip and knee replacement, including partial and total knee replacement.

He is trained in multiple approaches for total hip replacement, including the direct anterior and posterior-based approaches, as well as navigation-assisted and robotic-assisted total joint replacement. His clinical interests also include complex primary joint replacement, revision arthroplasty, and the management of periprosthetic fractures.

Dr. Mika attended Brigham Young University before earning his medical degree from the University of Rochester School of Medicine. He completed his orthopaedic surgery residency at Vanderbilt University followed by a fellowship in adult lower extremity reconstruction at the world-renowned Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, Florida.

Dr. Mika has a strong research background focused on total joint replacement. He has authored numerous peer-reviewed book chapters and articles and presented research at national meetings including the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) and the American Association of Hip and Knee Surgeons (AAHKS). His work has earned multiple research honors, including the AAHKS Surgical Techniques and Technologies Award. 

Beyond his research, Dr. Mika has remained actively involved in orthopaedic education and outreach. He has contributed to national education through organizations such as OrthoBullets and Doximity and has been invited to speak on topics related to orthopaedic surgery, patient care, medical education, and the role of athletics in shaping a career in medicine. His commitment to service has included participating in surgical mission trips to Honduras and providing free surgical care through Orthopaedic Outreach Day.

Dr. Mika is committed to providing thoughtful, evidence-based care to patients with hip and knee conditions, with the goal of helping them reduce pain, restore function, and return to an active lifestyle.

To schedule an appointment with Dr. Mika, please call (919) 781-5600.

Book Online 24/7

Additional Information about Dr. Mika

Education & Certifications See Full Details
  • Medical School
    • University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry
    • Brigham Young University
  • Residency
    • Vanderbilt University Medical Center
  • Fellowship
    • Mayo Clinic Jacksonville
Dr. Mika’s Team See Full Details
Professional Organizations See Full Details
Publications and Presentations See Full Details

Book Chapters

  • Mika AP, Desai M. Hand Surgery Update VII. Chapter 61: Non-Rheumatoid Inflammatory Arthropathies. American Society for Surgery of the Hand. 2023.
  • Martin JR, Mika AP, Sierra RJ. Master Techniques in Orthopaedic Surgery: The Hip, Fourth Edition. Chapter 28: Component Removal. In review.

Podium Presentations

  • Mika AP, Maxson R, Moreno-Diaz AF, Ponce RB, Wrenn SP, Morris CA, Savakus JC, Schaffer NE, Yeager M, Coscia A, Johnson L, Hake M, Johnson JP, Mitchell PM. Peri-implant Femur Fractures Distal to Long and Short Cephalomedullary Nails: A Comparative Multicenter Study.
  • Gilbert WB, Schwartz HS, Lawrenz J, Mika AP, Hajdu KS, Chenard SWG, Quirion JC. Orthopaedic Oncology Administrative Coding Data Submitted to the U.S. News & World Report: Accuracy and Implications.
    • Podium presentation at the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons Annual Meeting (San Diego, CA; 03/25)
  • Mika AP, Wilson JM, Morrison JC, DeBoer DK, Polkowski GG, Martin JR. Standard vs. Constrained Liners in Custom Triflange Acetabular Components: 5-Year Multicenter Study.
    • Podium presentation at the American Association of Hip and Knee Surgeons Annual Meeting (Dallas, TX; 11/24)
  • Mika AP, Baker CB, Wilson JM, Polkowski GG, Martin JR. Synovial Fluid Metal Ions: Diagnostic Markers for Aseptic Loosening in Cemented TKA.
    • Podium presentation at the American Association of Hip and Knee Surgeons Annual Meeting (Dallas, TX; 11/24)
  • Mears S, Mika AP, Canada L, et al. Interprosthetic Femur Fractures: A Multi-Center Retrospective Study.
    • Podium presentation at the American Association of Hip and Knee Surgeons Annual Meeting (Dallas, TX; 11/24)
  • Mika AP, Martin JR. Academic Lineage in Orthopaedics: It’s How You Finish.
    • Podium presentation at the Orthopaedic Summit & Evolving Technologies Annual Meeting (Las Vegas, NV; 09/24)
  • Mika AP, Ponce RB, Wrenn SP, Stinner DJ, Lawrenz JM, Mitchell PM. Intraoperative Cardiac Arrest in Orthopaedic Surgery.
    • Podium presentation at the Orthopaedic Summit & Evolving Technologies Annual Meeting (Las Vegas, NV; 09/24)
  • Mika AP, Schultz J, Luther L, Mitchell P, Strasser N. Can ChatGPT Answer Patient Questions Regarding Ankle Fractures & Fixation?
    • Podium presentation at the American Orthopaedic Foot & Ankle Society Annual Meeting (Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada; 09/24)
  • Mika AP, Mulvey H, Wilson J, Engstrom S, Polkowski G, Martin JR. Synovial Barium and Zirconium Ions are Promising Markers for Aseptic Loosening.
    • Podium presentation at the International Society for Technology in Arthroplasty Annual Meeting (Nashville, TN; 08/24)
    • Podium presentation at the Park City Hip and Knee Symposium (Park City, UT; 08/23)
  • Chan P, Baker C, Mika AP, Wilson J, Chandrashekar A, Martin JR. Intraoperative Recreation of Preoperative Pelvic Tilt: Is It the Key to Reliable Acetabular Component Positioning in Direct Anterior Total Hip Arthroplasty?
    • Podium presentation at the International Society for Technology in Arthroplasty Annual Meeting (Nashville, TN; 08/24)
  • Mika AP, Pennings J, Wilson JM, Engstrom SM, Polkowski GG, Martin JR. Rapid and Safe Transition to Ambulatory Surgical Center During the Covid Pandemic.
    • Podium presentation at the International Society for Technology in Arthroplasty Annual Meeting (Nashville, TN; 08/24)
    • Podium presentation at the Mid-America Orthopaedic Association Annual Meeting (Bonita Springs, FL; 04/24)
  • Biberstein B, Mika AP, Mulvey H, Wilson J, Martin JR. Do Cement Pockets Prevent Fluid Contamination of the Undersurface of Tibial Baseplates?
    • Podium presentation at the International Society for Technology in Arthroplasty Annual Meeting (Nashville, TN; 08/24)
  • Mika AP, Suh Y, Elrod R, Faschingbauer M, Moyer D, Martin JR. Novel Dilation-Erosion Labeling Technique Allows for Rapid, Accurate, and Adjustable Alignment Measurements in Primary TKA.
    • Podium presentation at the International Society for Technology in Arthroplasty Annual Meeting (Nashville, TN; 08/24)
  • Chenard S, Mika AP, Polkowski G, Engstrom S, Wilson J, Martin JR. Technology Versus Technique: Will ChatGPT Replace Orthopedic Triage Nurses?
    • Podium presentation at the International Society for Technology in Arthroplasty Annual Meeting (Nashville, TN; 08/24)
  • Mika AP, Wilson JM, Engstrom SM, Polkowski GG, Martin JR. Cementation Technique to Significantly Reduce Lipid Contamination in TKA.
    • Podium presentation at the Southern Orthopaedic Association Annual Meeting (Miami, FL; 07/24)
  • Mika AP, Engstrom SM, Polkowski GG, Wilson JM, Martin JR. Primarily Constraining Custom Triflange Patients: Weighing Instability vs. Fixation.
    • Podium presentation at the Southern Orthopaedic Association Annual Meeting (Miami, FL; 07/24)
  • Mika AP, Engstrom SM, Polkowski GG, Wilson JM, Martin JR. How Constrained Can You Start? A Multicenter Review of Pelvic Discontinuity Treated with Custom Triflange Implants.
    • Podium presentation at the Mid-America Orthopaedic Association Annual Meeting (Bonita Springs, FL; 04/24)
  • Mika AP, Chenard S, Gilbert W, Hajdu K, Hefley W, Quirion J, Kang H, Halpern J, Schwartz H, Holt G, Lawrenz J. Proximal Femoral Replacement for Trauma Associated with Significantly Worse Outcomes.
    • Podium presentation at the Mid-America Orthopaedic Association Annual Meeting (Bonita Springs, FL; 04/24)
    • Podium presentation at the Orthopedic Research Society Annual Meeting (Long Beach, CA; 02/24)
  • Chenard S, Mika AP, Gilbert W, Hajdu K, Hefley W, Quirion J, Kang H, Halpern J, Schwartz H, Holt G, Lawrenz J. Do Endoprostheses Performed for Tumor, Arthroplasty, or Post-Trauma Indication Have the Same Fate?
    • Podium presentation at the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons Annual Meeting (San Francisco, CA; 02/24)
  • Mika AP, Morris C, Savakus J, Stinner D, Mitchell P. Is Fixing a Fracture Below a Short Nail Really Easier? A Comparative Study of Peri-Implant Fractures.
    • Podium presentation at the Society of Military Orthopaedic Surgeons Annual Meeting (Vail, CO; 12/23)
    • Podium presentation at the OREF Southeast Regional Resident Research Symposium (Atlanta, GA; 05/23)
  • Mika AP, Wollenman C, Stephens B. COVID-19 Pandemic Delays Care and Worsens Prognosis of Spinal Metastasis.
    • Podium presentation at the Eastern Orthopedics Association Annual Meeting (Nashville, TN; 10/21)
  • Mika AP, Barrott J, Jones K. The Role of Survivin Inhibition in Synovial Sarcoma.

Peer-Reviewed Publications

  • Chenard SW, Mulvey HE, Mika AP, Baker CE, Pelt CE, Polkowski GG, Martin JR. Femoral Component Loosening is the Predominant Mode of Early Failure in Contemporary Cementless Total Knee Arthroplasty. Arthroplasty Today. June 2025. In press.
  • Chandrashekar AS, Suh Y, Fox JA, Mika AP, Moyer DC, Polkowski GG, Faschingbauer M, Martin JR. Development of a Machine Learning Model for Determining Alignment in Knees Following Total Knee Arthroplasty. The Journal of Arthroplasty. June 2025. In press.
  • Mika AP, Baker CB, Wilson JM, Polkowski GG, Martin JR. The AAHKS Surgical Techniques & Technologies Award: Synovial Fluid Metal Ion Levels as a Biomarker for Aseptic Loosening Following Cemented Total Knee Arthroplasty: A Prospective Study. The Journal of Arthroplasty. May 2025.
  • Mears S, Mika AP, Canada L, et al. Interprosthetic Femur Fractures: A Multi-Center Retrospective Study. Journal of Orthopaedic Trauma. 2025.
  • Mika AP, Maxson R, Moreno-Diaz AF, Ponce RB, Wrenn SP, Morris CA, Savakus JC, Schaffer NE, Yeager M, Coscia A, Johnson L, Pennings JS, Maki C, Hake M, Johnson JP, Mitchell PM. Femur Fractures Distal to Long and Short Cephalomedullary Nails: A Comparative Multicenter Study. Journal of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. In press.
  • Mika AP, Suh Y, Elrod RW, Faschingbauer M, Moyer DC, Martin JR. Novel Dilation-Erosion Labeling Technique Allows for Rapid, Accurate, and Adjustable Alignment Measurements in Primary TKA. Computers in Biology and Medicine. December 2024.
  • Chandrashekar AS, Mulvey HE, Mika AP, Gupta RK, Polkowski GG, Wilson JM, Pelt CE, Martin JR. Outpatient Total Joint Arthroplasty at an Ambulatory Surgical Center: An Analysis of Failure to Launch. The Journal of Arthroplasty. November 2024.
  • Wilson JM, Mika AP, Gilbert WB, Polkowski GG, Martin JR. Double-Butter: A Cementation Technique that Significantly Reduces Lipid Contamination of the Tibial Baseplate in Total Knee Arthroplasty. Arthroplasty Today. October 2024.
  • Mika AP, Wilson JM, Morrison JC, DeBoer DK, Polkowski GG, Martin JR. Primarily Constraining Custom Triflange Patients: Weighing the Risks of Instability Versus Fixation? The Journal of Arthroplasty. October 2024.
  • Mika AP, Ponce RB, Wrenn SP, Stinner DJ, Lawrenz JM, Mitchell PM. Intraoperative Cardiac Arrest in Orthopaedic Surgery: A Case Series of 42 Patients. Journal of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. August 2024.
  • Biberstein B, Mika AP, Mulvey H, Gilbert WB, Butcher P, Martin JR. Do Cement Pockets Prevent Fluid Contamination of the Undersurface of Tibial Baseplates? Journal of Clinical and Translational Research. August 2024.
  • Hajdu KS, Chenard SW, Judice SD, Quirion JC, Mika AP, Gilbert WB, Hefley WF, Johnson DJ, Wright PW, Kang H, Halpern JL, Schwartz HS, Holt G, Lawrenz JM. Is Prophylactic Antibiotic Choice Associated with Deep Infection Following Lower Extremity Endoprosthetic Reconstruction? Journal of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. July 2024.
  • Chenard SW, Mika AP, Wilson JM, Polkowski GG, Engstrom SM, Martin JR. ChatGPT Provides Safe Responses to Post-Operative Concerns Following Total Joint Arthroplasty. Current Orthopaedic Practice. June 2024.
  • Mika AP, Pennings J, Wilson JM, Engstrom SM, Polkowski GG, Martin JR. Rapid and Safe Transition to a Stand-Alone Ambulatory Surgical Center at a Major Academic Medical Center. Journal of Orthopaedic Reports. May 2024.
  • Wrenn SP, Mika AP, Ponce RB, Mitchell PM. Evaluating ChatGPT’s Ability to Answer Common Patient Questions Regarding Hip Fracture. Journal of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. May 2024.
  • Mika AP, Mulvey HE, Engstrom SM, Polkowski GG, Martin JR, Wilson JM. Can ChatGPT Answer Patient Questions Regarding Total Knee Arthroplasty? Journal of Knee Surgery. March 2024.
  • Chan PYW, Mika AP, Martin JR, Wilson JM. Glucagon-Like Peptide-1 Agonists: What the Orthopaedic Surgeon Needs to Know. JBJS Reviews. January 2024.
  • Wilson JM, Mika AP, Martin JR. Removing Cemented Dual-Mobility Liners from Acetabular Components: A Technical Tip for a Challenging Surgical Problem. Arthroplasty Today. 2023.
  • Mika AP, Martin JR, Engstrom SM, Polkowski GG, Wilson JM. Assessing ChatGPT Responses to Common Patient Questions Regarding Total Hip Arthroplasty. Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery. July 2023.
  • Mika AP, Gilbert W, Martin JR, Polkowski G. Diagnosis Dilemma, Culture-Negative Periprosthetic Hip Infection Versus Acute Gouty Arthritis: A Case Report. JBJS Case Connector. June 2023.
  • Mika AP, Wollenman C, Steinle AM, Chanbour H, Vaughan W, Croft A, Lugo-Pico J, Zuckerman SL, Abtahi AM, Stephens BF. The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on the Presentation of Patients with Spinal Metastases. Spine. October 2022.
  • Mika AP, Luelling SE, Pavek A, Nartker C, Heyneman AL, Jones KB, Barrott JJ. Epigenetic Changes at the Birc5 Promoter Induced by YM155 in Synovial Sarcoma. Journal of Clinical Medicine. March 2019.
  • Mika AP, Mesfin A, Rubery PT, Molinari R, Kebaish KM, Menga EN. Proximal Junctional Kyphosis: A Pediatric and Adult Spinal Deformity Surgery Dilemma. JBJS Reviews. April 2019.
  • Mika AP, Mesfin A. Update on the Management of Sacral Metastases. JBJS Reviews. July 2018.
  • Jimenez FR, Belgique ST, Lewis JB, Albright SA, Jones CM, Howell BM, Mika AP, Jergensen TR, Gassman JR, Morris RJ, Arroyo JA, Reynolds PR. Conditional Pulmonary Over-Expression of Claudin 6 During Embryogenesis Delays Lung Morphogenesis. International Journal of Developmental Biology. 2015.

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