Craig R. Mahoney, MD, an orthopaedic surgeon with Iowa Ortho, has been named a 2026 Castle Connolly Top Doctor, marking the 13th year he has received this prestigious designation. Only 7 percent of licensed physicians nationwide are selected annually as Castle Connolly Top Doctors in their specialties and regions. This recognition highlights Dr. Mahoney's sustained excellence in orthopaedic surgery and his influence on joint replacement care.
Dr. Mahoney serves as Physician Leader and Vice President of the Orthopaedic Service Line at MercyOne and is a partner at the Iowa Orthopaedic Center. With over 23 years of practice and more than 8,000 successful hip and knee replacements, his philosophy prioritizes exhaustive nonsurgical options before recommending surgery. His approach focuses on improving mobility, decreasing pain, and enhancing patients' quality of life through evidence-based techniques that emphasize long-term outcomes.
Dr. Mahoney performs advanced surgical procedures including total hip and knee arthroplasty, hip and knee revision surgery, computer-navigated joint replacement, impaction grafting, and vascular management in rotationplasty. His expertise in these techniques contributes to better patient outcomes and positions him as a leader in the field.
His medical journey began with a medical degree from the University of Iowa College of Medicine in 1995. He completed his orthopaedic surgery residency at the Creighton/University of Nebraska Health Foundation in 2001, which included a dedicated one-year orthopaedic research fellowship. He then finished a fellowship in Adult Reconstruction at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York in 2002. Dr. Mahoney has authored more than 40 peer-reviewed articles and book chapters in publications like The Journal of Arthroplasty and Clinical Orthopaedics and Related Research. He has held leadership roles including President of the Mid-America Orthopaedic Association and the Iowa Orthopaedic Society, and served on the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons Board of Councilors for six years.
Castle Connolly Top Doctors are nominated by peer physicians and selected by the physician-led Castle Connolly research team. The selection process evaluates medical education, training, hospital appointments, and disciplinary histories. Doctors do not pay to be included. Dr. Mahoney's repeated recognition reflects his ongoing contributions to orthopaedic surgery and patient care. For more information about Castle Connolly Top Doctors, visit castleconnolly.com.
