William H. Harvin, MD

William H. Harvin, MD

Contact
713-486-9800
281-392-3666 fax

Biography

William H. “Billy” Harvin, MD, is a board-certified orthopedic surgeon and associate professor in the Department of Orthopedic Surgery at McGovern Medical School at UTHealth Houston (external link). He specializes in orthopedic trauma care and the treatment of complex fractures.

Clinical Expertise

Dr. Harvin treats fractures throughout the upper extremity, from the clavicle to the wrist, and the lower extremity, from the pelvis to the foot. His expertise includes complex pelvic and acetabular fractures, open fractures, periarticular injuries involving fractures around joints, and periprosthetic fractures around joint replacements.

In addition, he treats newly sustained fractures, including those from high-energy trauma, as well as complications from previous injuries.

He also cares for patients with nonunions and malunions. Nonunions are fractures that have not healed properly, while malunions have healed in an incorrect position. He also treats fragility fractures associated with osteoporosis or other causes of bone loss.

Service and Community Connections

Dr. Harvin volunteers with Faith In Practice, a nonprofit organization that provides medical and surgical care in Guatemala. Through multiple surgical mission trips, he has helped address the need for specialized orthopedic trauma care among patients with limited access to treatment.

He also helps lead multidisciplinary teams that include surgeons, anesthesiology professionals, nurses, trainees, physical therapists, surgical technicians and translators. The teams coordinate the equipment, implants and surgical supplies needed to treat complex orthopedic injuries. His service has included caring for patients with neglected fractures and nonunions, drawing directly on his orthopedic trauma expertise.

A native Houstonian, Dr. Harvin has longstanding ties to the community. He is a graduate of The Kinkaid School and Rice University, where he was an all-conference lineman.

Location and Appointments

Dr. Harvin sees patients in our orthopedic clinic in Katy, Texas. If you would like to schedule an appointment, please call his office at 713-486-9800 or request an appointment online (external link).

Education

Undergraduate Degree
Rice University, Houston, Texas
Medical School
The University of Texas Medical School, Houston, Texas
Residency
Orthopaedic Surgery Residency, The University of Texas Medical School, Houston, Texas
Fellowship
Orthopaedic Trauma Fellowship, The University of Missouri

Areas of Interest

Clinical Interests

Orthopedic Trauma and Fracture Care

  • Upper-extremity fractures
  • Lower-extremity fractures,
  • Complex pelvic and acetabular fracture surgery
  • Open fractures
  • Periarticular fractures (fractures around joints)
  • Periprosthetic fractures (fractures around joint replacements)
  • Fracture nonunions and malunions
  • Fragility and osteoporosis-related fractures
  • Limb realignment
  • Total hip replacement (total hip arthroplasty)

 

Research Interests

Are routine post-operative radiographs necessary after fixation of lower extremity periarticular fractures? The University of Missouri. Co-investigator: David Volgas.

Utilization and impact of an Orthopedic trauma operating room at a level I trauma center with respect to treatment of open lower extremity fractures. The University of Missouri. Co-investigator: Brett Crist.

Mapping anterior column acetabular fractures and clinical implications regarding optimal lag screw trajectory. The University of Missouri. Co-investigator: Brett Crist and Brian Buck.

Are working length and proximal screw density predictors of C type distal femur fracture union after open reduction internal fixation? The University of Missouri. Co-investigator: Brett Crist.

Does tranexamic acid reduce perioperative blood loss and need for allogeneic blood transfusions in open pelvic ring and acetabular surgery? The University of Missouri: Co-investigator: Brett Crist.

Publications

Visit the PubMed profile page

Publications

Abstracts

  • Working length and proximal screw constructs in plate osteosynthesis of distal femur fractures.  Harvin WA, Della Rocca GJ, Murtha YM, Volgas DA, Stannard JP, Crist BD.  2014 OTA Annual Meeting, Paper #50.

Referred Original Articles in Journal

  • Early Femur Fracture Fixation is Associated with a Reduction in Pulmonary Complications and Hospital Charges: a Decade of Experience with 1,376 Diaphyseal Femur Fractures.  John Andrew Harvin, William Hartman Harvin</strong>, Elizabeth Camp, Zerremi Caga-Anan, Andrew Roland Burgess, Charles E Wade, John Bradley Holcomb, Bryan Alan Cotton.  J Trauma Acute Care Surg, 2012 Dec; 73(6): 1440-7.
  • Symptomatic implant removal following dual mini-fragment plating for clavicular shaft fractures. Czajka CM, Kay AL, Gary JL, Prasarn MM, Choo AW, Munz JW, Harvin WH, Achor TA. J Orthop Trauma, 2017, Vol. 31(4), 236-240.
  • Transtibial Amputation Outcomes Study (TAOS): Comparing Transtibial Amputation with and without Tibiofibular Synostosis (Ertl) Procedure. Bosse MJ, Morshed S, Reider L, Ertl W, Toledano J, Firoozabadi R, Seymour RB, Carroll E, Scharfstein DO, Steverson B, MacKenzie EJ; METRC. J Orthop Trauma, 2017 Apr; 31 Suppl 1: S63-69.
  • Improving Pain Management and Long-Term Outcomes Following High-Energy Orthopaedic Trauma (Pain Study). Castillo RC, Raja SN, Frey KP, Vallier HA, Tornetta P 3rd, Jaeblon T, Goff BJ, Gottschalk A, Scharfstein DO, O’Toole RV; METRC. J Orthop Trauma, 2017 Apr; 31 Suppl 1:S71-77.
  • Effect of Tranexamic Acid on Transfusion: A Randomized Clinical Trial in Acetabular Fracture Surgery. William D. Lack MD, Brett D. Crist MD, Rachel B. Seymour PhD, William Harvin MD, Madhav A. Karunakar and the TXA Study Group. <em>J Orthop Trauma, 2017, Vol. 31(10): 526-530.
  • Working Length and proximal screw constructs in plate osteosynthesis of distal femur fractures. Harvin WH, Oladeji LO, Della Rocca GJ, Murth YM, Volgas DA, Stannard JP, Crist BD. Injury, 2017 Sep.
  • What is important besides getting the bone to heal? Impact of tissue injury other than the fracture. Gardner JM, Higgins TA, Harvin WH, Stannard JP, Lee MA, Crist BD, J Orthop Trauma, 2018 Vol. 32 Suppl 3: S21-24.
  • Use of the Dedicated Orthopaedic Trauma Room for Open Tibia and Femur fractures: Does it Make a Difference? Steeby SF, Harvin WH, Worley JR, Della Rocca GJ, Volgas DA, Stannard JP, Crist BD.  J Orthop Trauma, 2018, Vol. 32(8): 377-80.

Presentations

  • “Impingement syndrome and rotator cuff disease.” Resident education conference. UTHealth Houston, Houston, TX, March 2010.
  • “Overuse Injuries.” Resident education conference. UTHealth Houston, Houston, TX, April 2010.
  • “Radial head fractures.” Resident education conference. UTHealth Houston, Houston, TX, May 2010.
  • “Elbow instability.” Resident education conference. UTHealth Houston, Houston, TX, May 2010.
  • “The painful total knee arthroplasty.” Resident education conference. UTHealth Houston, Houston, TX, July 2010.
  • “Extensor mechanism complications.” Resident education conference. UTHealth Houston, Houston, TX, November 2010.
  • “Role of inferior vena cava filters in pulmonary embolism prevention in polytrauma patients.” Combined Orthopaedic-Trauma Surgery Conference, UTHealth Houston, Houston, TX, September 2011.
  • “Acute care of femur fracture in polytrauma patients.” Combined Orthopaedic-Trauma Surgery Conference, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, October 2012.
  • “Accurately reducing the syndesmosis.” Grand Rounds, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, June 2013.
  • “Working length and proximal screw constructs in plate osteosynthesis of distal femur fractures.” Harvin WA, Della Rocca GJ, Murtha YM, Volgas DA, Stannard JP, Crist BD.  2014 OTA Annual Meeting, Tampa, FL, October 2014.
  • “Open Fractures.” AO Basic Principles of Operative Fracture Management Course, Bellevue, WA, August 2015.
  • “Open Fractures.” AO Basic Principles of Operative Fracture Management Course, Dallas, TX, September 2015.
  • “Periarticular Knee Fractures: Ligamentous stability affects success.” Basic Science Symposium, 2015 OTA Annual Meeting, San Diego, CA, October 2015.
  • “My top three technical pears: Early open surgery.” Complex knee dislocation Symposium, AAOS Annual Meeting Specialty Day, Orlando, FL, March 2016.
  • “Early repair collateral ligaments with arthroscopic cruciate reconstruction in knee dislocations.” Complex Knee Dislocation Symposium. 2016 OTA Annual Meeting, Washington DC, October 2016.
  • “Knee dislocations in patients with BMI >40.” Ed T. Smith Lectureship, Houston, TX, November 2016.
  • “Ankle fractures Part 1: When and how to fix a posterior malleolus.” Houston Orthopaedic Trauma Symposium, Houston, TX, November 2017.
  • “Tibial plateau fractures-beyond the lateral approach and plate.” Houston Orthopaedic Trauma Symposium, Houston, TX, November 2017.
  • “Urgent fractures and dislocations.” Houston Orthopaedic Trauma Symposium, Houston, TX, November 2017.
  • “Open reduction internal fixation of distal humerus fractures.” Houston Orthopaedic Trauma Symposium, Houston, TX, May 2019.
  • “Urgent fractures and dislocations.” Houston Orthopaedic Trauma Symposium, Houston, TX, May 2019.
  • “Diaphyseal Management: Femur.” AO Basic Principles of Operative Fracture Management Course, Kansas City, MO, November 2019.
  • “Introduction to Pilon fractures.” AO Basic Principles of Operative Fracture Management Course, Kansas City, MO, November 2019.
  • “Patellar fracture management.” Houston Orthopaedic Trauma Symposium, Houston, TX, May 2022.
  • “Humeral shaft fractures.” Houston Orthopaedic Trauma Symposium, Houston, TX, February 2023.
  • “Bicondylar tibial plateau fractures.” AO Advanced Principles of Fracture Management, New Orleans, LA, May 2023.
  • “Advanced nailing techniques.” Austin Orthopedic Trauma Symposium, Austin, TX, May 2024.
  • “Proximal humerus fractures.” Austin Orthopedic Trauma Symposium, Austin, TX, May 2024.
  • “Improving stability in proximal humerus fractures.” AOAO Annual Meeting, Boston, MA, October 2024.
  • “The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly: IlluminOss case presentations.” Columbia, MO, August 2024.
  • “CurvaFix: When, why, and how.” CurvaFix Instructional Meeting, New Orleans, LA, June 2025.
  • “Tibial plateau fractures: Beyond the anterolateral approach.” OTA Annual Meeting, Phoenix, AZ, October 2025.
  • “IlluminOss Fracture Conference.” Stony Brook, NY, November 2025.
  • “My Experience with New Technologies.” Houston Orthopaedic Trauma Symposium. Houston, TX, February 2026.
  • “IlluminOss Fracture Conference.” Fort Lauderdale, March 2026.
  • “Through the Eyes of a Surgeon.” Arthrex, Houston, TX, April 2026.
  • “Compression plating.” Ortho Camp, Houston, TX, June 2026.