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Dr. Aric A. Christal, MD

Accepting New Patients

(1 Rating)

Specializes in: Adult Orthopedic Reconstructive Surgery

University of Washington School of Medicine (2005)

Professional interests include: arthritis, shoulder dislocation, ACL injury, and more.

7320 216th Street Southwest Suite 320
Edmonds, WA 98026

(425) 673-3900

Dr. Aric A. Christal, MD is an orthopedic reconstructive surgeon in Edmonds, WA specializing in adult orthopedic reconstructive surgery. He graduated from University of Washington School of Medicine in 2005 and has 21 years of experience. Dr. Aric A. Christal, MD is affiliated with Swedish Medical Center, Providence, Swedish Edmonds Campus, Swedish Cherry Hill Campus, Swedish First Hill Campus, PROLIANCE SURGEONS INC P S and SELECT REHABILITATION LLC.

Office Locations

Swedish First Hill Campus

7320 216th Street Southwest Suite 320
Edmonds, WA 98026

(425) 673-3900

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Some issues Dr. Aric A. Christal, MD can help you with:

Joint Injections

A joint is any area of the body where two bones connect. Due to injury or disease, the space between the two bones can sometimes become swollen and inflamed, which leads to pain and a loss of mobility. Injection and aspiration are two tools that physicians use to treat joint pain locally without needing to perform surgery.

Both injection and aspiration are techniques that involve inserting a needle connected to a syringe directly into the joint. Aspiration involves the removal of excess fluid, and injection is the placement of medication directly into the joint space via the needle. Both procedures may be performed at the same time. In both cases a local anesthetic may be used, the skin will be cleaned and disinfected, and then the needle will be inserted. In some cases, especially if the injection or aspiration is in a large and deep joint such as the hip or spine, ultrasound may be used to guide the needle to the exact location desired.

In some cases, irritation to the joint can cause fluid to build up so significantly that the joint hurts and can no longer move well. Aspiration removes some of the excess fluid and relieves the pressure. In addition, aspiration can be used to provide a sample of joint fluid if it needs to be examined microscopically for the presence of white blood cells, bacteria, or crystal formations.

Certain injuries and diseases that affect joints are inflammatory in nature, such as rheumatoid arthritis, tendonitis or gout. These diseases may be helped by the local injection of anti-inflammatory medications directly into the affected joint. In this case, corticosteroids such as methylprednisone are usually used. Relief from the pain may be felt right away and may last for weeks or even months.

In some cases, such as with osteoarthritis, the cartilage buffer between the two bones wears down and pain comes from bones rubbing against each other. In this case, injection of a lubricating agent such as hyaluronic acid may be beneficial. It provides a slippery cushion between the bones to relieve pain that can last for months.

Noteworthy Medicare Patient Procedures Performed by Dr. Aric A. Christal, MD in 2023

Click on any procedure below to see further details on volume and pricing among Medicare patients.

Top 5%

By Volume:

tibia and fibula X-ray

In 2023, Dr. Aric A. Christal, MD performed more tibia and fibula (lower leg) X-ray procedures for Medicare patients than 95% of providers in related specialties within Washington.

Top 10%

By Volume:

X-rays

In 2023, Dr. Aric A. Christal, MD performed more X-rays procedures for Medicare patients than 90% of providers in related specialties within Washington.

Top 25%

By Volume:

joint reconstruction

knee X-ray

lower extremity surgery

major joint aspiration

major joint injection

reconstructive surgery

total knee replacement

In 2012, Dr. Aric A. Christal, MD performed more joint reconstruction, knee X-ray, lower extremity surgery, major joint aspiration, major joint injection, reconstructive surgery, and total knee replacement procedures for Medicare patients than 75% of providers in related specialties within Washington.

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2012 Medicare Procedure Volume

The top procedures that Dr. Aric A. Christal, MD treated as an orthopedic reconstructive surgeon in Edmonds, WA during 2012 were X-rays, musculoskeletal imaging, aspiration and injections.

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. Aric A. Christal, MD for Medicare patients.

aspiration	92
doctor visit	325
fracture surgery	14
hip imaging	53
hospital care	37
injections	92
inpatient care	37
joint surgery	13
lower extremity surgery	27
musculoskeletal imaging	102
pelvic imaging	76
reconstructive surgery	13
X-rays	178

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2013 Medicare Procedure Volume

The top procedures that Dr. Aric A. Christal, MD treated as an orthopedic reconstructive surgeon in Edmonds, WA during 2013 were X-rays, musculoskeletal imaging, aspiration and injections.

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. Aric A. Christal, MD for Medicare patients.

aspiration	227
doctor visit	564
hip imaging	100
hospital care	22
injections	227
inpatient care	22
joint surgery	47
lower extremity surgery	47
musculoskeletal imaging	280
pelvic imaging	110
reconstructive surgery	47
spinal procedures	16
X-rays	495

2013 Medicare Patient Data

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. Aric A. Christal, MD.

**Gender**
Male	129
Female	221

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	324
Black	0
Hispanic	0
Asian	15
Other	0
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	139
From 75 to 84	127
85 and over	65
Less than 65	19

Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. Aric A. Christal, MD in 2013

Hypertension	68
High Cholesterol	49
Stroke	3
Ischemic Heart Disease	29
Depression	21
Chronic Kidney Disease	21
Asthma	7
Osteoperosis	7
Atrial Fibrilation	13
Heart Failure	14
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	12
Diabetes	25
Dementia	11
Cancer	12

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2014 Medicare Procedure Volume

The top procedures that Dr. Aric A. Christal, MD treated as an orthopedic reconstructive surgeon in Edmonds, WA during 2014 were X-rays, musculoskeletal imaging, aspiration and injections.

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. Aric A. Christal, MD for Medicare patients.

aspiration	249
doctor visit	660
hip imaging	123
hospital care	24
injections	249
inpatient care	24
joint surgery	76
lower extremity surgery	76
musculoskeletal imaging	365
pelvic imaging	152
reconstructive surgery	76
X-rays	657

2014 Medicare Patient Data

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. Aric A. Christal, MD.

**Gender**
Male	149
Female	253

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	375
Black	0
Hispanic	0
Asian	14
Other	0
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	175
From 75 to 84	143
85 and over	64
Less than 65	20

Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. Aric A. Christal, MD in 2014

Hypertension	59
High Cholesterol	45
Stroke	6
Ischemic Heart Disease	24
Depression	21
Chronic Kidney Disease	20
Asthma	7
Osteoperosis	10
Atrial Fibrilation	9
Heart Failure	12
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	7
Diabetes	20
Dementia	5
Cancer	11

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2015 Medicare Procedure Volume

The top procedures that Dr. Aric A. Christal, MD treated as an orthopedic reconstructive surgeon in Edmonds, WA during 2015 were X-rays, musculoskeletal imaging, aspiration and injections.

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. Aric A. Christal, MD for Medicare patients.

aspiration	244
doctor visit	755
hip imaging	161
hospital care	13
injections	244
inpatient care	13
joint surgery	84
lower extremity surgery	84
musculoskeletal imaging	410
pelvic imaging	183
reconstructive surgery	84
X-rays	729

2015 Medicare Patient Data

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. Aric A. Christal, MD.

**Gender**
Male	328
Female	550

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	808
Black	0
Hispanic	0
Asian	32
Other	0
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	376
From 75 to 84	314
85 and over	146
Less than 65	42

Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. Aric A. Christal, MD in 2015

Hypertension	55
High Cholesterol	45
Stroke	5
Ischemic Heart Disease	25
Depression	23
Chronic Kidney Disease	21
Asthma	10
Osteoperosis	7
Atrial Fibrilation	12
Heart Failure	10
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	8
Diabetes	26
Dementia	7
Cancer	10

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2016 Medicare Procedure Volume

The top procedures that Dr. Aric A. Christal, MD treated as an orthopedic reconstructive surgeon in Edmonds, WA during 2016 were X-rays, musculoskeletal imaging, aspiration and injections.

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. Aric A. Christal, MD for Medicare patients.

aspiration	230
doctor visit	740
hospital care	14
injections	230
inpatient care	14
joint surgery	96
lower extremity surgery	96
musculoskeletal imaging	270
pelvic imaging	58
reconstructive surgery	96
X-rays	399

2016 Medicare Patient Data

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. Aric A. Christal, MD.

**Gender**
Male	172
Female	329

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	465
Black	0
Hispanic	0
Asian	14
Other	0
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	225
From 75 to 84	181
85 and over	72
Less than 65	23

Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. Aric A. Christal, MD in 2016

Hypertension	62
High Cholesterol	47
Stroke	3
Ischemic Heart Disease	25
Depression	19
Chronic Kidney Disease	24
Asthma	15
Osteoperosis	8
Atrial Fibrilation	13
Heart Failure	12
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	11
Diabetes	26
Dementia	7
Cancer	13

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2017 Medicare Procedure Volume

The top procedures that Dr. Aric A. Christal, MD treated as an orthopedic reconstructive surgeon in Edmonds, WA during 2017 were X-rays, aspiration, injections and musculoskeletal imaging.

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. Aric A. Christal, MD for Medicare patients.

aspiration	276
doctor visit	674
injections	276
joint surgery	99
lower extremity surgery	99
musculoskeletal imaging	247
reconstructive surgery	99
X-rays	314

2017 Medicare Patient Data

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. Aric A. Christal, MD.

**Gender**
Male	168
Female	304

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	434
Black	0
Hispanic	0
Asian	19
Other	0
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	216
From 75 to 84	178
85 and over	58
Less than 65	20

Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. Aric A. Christal, MD in 2017

Hypertension	59
High Cholesterol	36
Stroke	4
Ischemic Heart Disease	26
Depression	19
Chronic Kidney Disease	25
Asthma	8
Osteoperosis	6
Atrial Fibrilation	15
Heart Failure	14
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	8
Diabetes	24
Dementia	6
Cancer	14

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2018 Medicare Procedure Volume

The top procedures that Dr. Aric A. Christal, MD treated as an orthopedic reconstructive surgeon in Edmonds, WA during 2018 were X-rays, aspiration, injections and musculoskeletal imaging.

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. Aric A. Christal, MD for Medicare patients.

aspiration	254
doctor visit	704
hip imaging	23
hospital care	13
injections	254
inpatient care	13
joint surgery	102
lower extremity surgery	102
MRI (magnetic resonance imaging)	23
musculoskeletal imaging	233
reconstructive surgery	102
X-rays	296

2018 Medicare Patient Data

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. Aric A. Christal, MD.

**Gender**
Male	171
Female	337

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	474
Black	0
Hispanic	0
Asian	15
Other	0
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	233
From 75 to 84	175
85 and over	73
Less than 65	27

Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. Aric A. Christal, MD in 2018

Hypertension	56
High Cholesterol	46
Stroke	3
Ischemic Heart Disease	23
Depression	19
Chronic Kidney Disease	24
Asthma	5
Osteoperosis	8
Atrial Fibrilation	14
Heart Failure	14
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	7
Diabetes	20
Dementia	9
Cancer	15

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2019 Medicare Procedure Volume

The top procedures that Dr. Aric A. Christal, MD treated as an orthopedic reconstructive surgeon in Edmonds, WA during 2019 were X-rays, aspiration, injections and musculoskeletal imaging.

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. Aric A. Christal, MD for Medicare patients.

aspiration	276
doctor visit	706
injections	276
joint surgery	101
lower extremity surgery	101
musculoskeletal imaging	205
pelvic imaging	11
reconstructive surgery	101
X-rays	308

2019 Medicare Patient Data

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. Aric A. Christal, MD.

**Gender**
Male	166
Female	315

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	438
Black	0
Hispanic	0
Asian	19
Other	13
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	226
From 75 to 84	179
85 and over	0
Less than 65	0

Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. Aric A. Christal, MD in 2019

Hypertension	56
High Cholesterol	49
Stroke	3
Ischemic Heart Disease	24
Depression	22
Chronic Kidney Disease	23
Asthma	6
Osteoperosis	7
Atrial Fibrilation	11
Heart Failure	9
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	6
Diabetes	20
Dementia	5
Cancer	14

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2020 Medicare Procedure Volume

The top procedures that Dr. Aric A. Christal, MD treated as an orthopedic reconstructive surgeon in Edmonds, WA during 2020 were aspiration, injections, X-rays and musculoskeletal imaging.

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. Aric A. Christal, MD for Medicare patients.

aspiration	222
doctor visit	488
hip imaging	19
injections	222
joint surgery	79
lower extremity surgery	79
MRI (magnetic resonance imaging)	19
musculoskeletal imaging	129
reconstructive surgery	79
X-rays	173

2020 Medicare Patient Data

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. Aric A. Christal, MD.

**Gender**
Male	144
Female	262

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	373
Black	0
Hispanic	0
Asian	0
Other	13
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	193
From 75 to 84	150
85 and over	0
Less than 65	0

Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. Aric A. Christal, MD in 2020

Hypertension	55
High Cholesterol	46
Stroke	3
Ischemic Heart Disease	23
Depression	21
Chronic Kidney Disease	26
Asthma	4
Osteoperosis	9
Atrial Fibrilation	11
Heart Failure	10
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	6
Diabetes	21
Dementia	5
Cancer	10

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2021 Medicare Procedure Volume

The top procedures that Dr. Aric A. Christal, MD treated as an orthopedic reconstructive surgeon in Edmonds, WA during 2021 were aspiration, injections, X-rays and musculoskeletal imaging.

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. Aric A. Christal, MD for Medicare patients.

aspiration	308
doctor visit	641
hip imaging	17
injections	308
joint surgery	76
lower extremity surgery	76
MRI (magnetic resonance imaging)	17
musculoskeletal imaging	122
reconstructive surgery	76
X-rays	168

2021 Medicare Patient Data

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. Aric A. Christal, MD.

**Gender**
Male	160
Female	316

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	432
Black	0
Hispanic	0
Asian	20
Other	0
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	230
From 75 to 84	178
85 and over	0
Less than 65	0

Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. Aric A. Christal, MD in 2021

Hypertension	57
High Cholesterol	47
Stroke	4
Ischemic Heart Disease	22
Depression	20
Chronic Kidney Disease	22
Asthma	4
Osteoperosis	10
Atrial Fibrilation	11
Heart Failure	10
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	3
Diabetes	19
Dementia	6
Cancer	14

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2022 Medicare Procedure Volume

The top procedures that Dr. Aric A. Christal, MD treated as an orthopedic reconstructive surgeon in Edmonds, WA during 2022 were aspiration, injections, X-rays and musculoskeletal imaging.

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. Aric A. Christal, MD for Medicare patients.

aspiration	214
doctor visit	510
hip imaging	15
injections	214
joint surgery	99
lower extremity surgery	99
MRI (magnetic resonance imaging)	15
musculoskeletal imaging	113
pelvic imaging	26
reconstructive surgery	99
X-rays	198

2022 Medicare Patient Data

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. Aric A. Christal, MD.

**Gender**
Male	155
Female	236

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	362
Black	0
Hispanic	0
Asian	0
Other	0
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	178
From 75 to 84	173
85 and over	0
Less than 65	0

Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. Aric A. Christal, MD in 2022

Hypertension	64
High Cholesterol	67
Stroke	6
Ischemic Heart Disease	19
Depression	19
Chronic Kidney Disease	19
Asthma	6
Osteoperosis	13
Atrial Fibrilation	17
Heart Failure	11
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	6
Diabetes	22
Dementia	3
Cancer	19

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

Average Medicare Procedure Volume From 2012 - 2022

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. Aric A. Christal, MD for Medicare patients.

The highest averages for the top procedures that Dr. Aric A. Christal, MD treated as an orthopedic reconstructive surgeon in Edmonds, WA were X-rays, aspiration, injections and musculoskeletal imaging.

aspiration	235
doctor visit	615
fracture surgery	14
hip imaging	63
hospital care	20
injections	235
inpatient care	20
joint surgery	79
lower extremity surgery	80
MRI (magnetic resonance imaging)	18
musculoskeletal imaging	225
pelvic imaging	88
reconstructive surgery	79
spinal procedures	16
X-rays	355

Average Medicare Patient Data From 2012 - 2022

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. Aric A. Christal, MD.

**Gender**
Male	158
Female	283

**Ethnicity**
Black / African American	0
Asian / Pacific Islander	13
Non-Hispanic White	407
Hispanic	0
Native American / Alaskan Native	0
Other	2

**Age**
75 to 84	163
85 and over	43
Less than 65	13
65 to 74	199

Average of Total of Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. Aric A. Christal, MD From 2012 - 2022

The highest averages of the most common conditions of Medicare patients that Dr. Aric A. Christal, MD treated were hypertension, high cholesterol, ischemic heart disease and chronic kidney disease.

Hypertension	53
High Cholesterol	43
Stroke	3
Ischemic Heart Disease	21
Depression	18
Chronic Kidney Disease	20
Asthma	6
Osteoporosis	7
Heart Failure	10
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	6
Diabetes	20
Atrial Fibrillation	11
Cancer	12
Dementia	5

Education & Training

Dr. Aric A. Christal, MD graduated from University of Washington School of Medicine in 2005. He completed residency at University of Washington Affiliated Hospitals. He is certified by the American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery, Orthopaedic Surgery and has a state license in North Carolina.

Medical School: University of Washington School of Medicine (2005)

Residency: University of Washington Affiliated Hospitals (2010)

Board Certification: American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery, Orthopaedic Surgery

Licensed In: North Carolina

Affiliations & Hospitals

Dr. Aric A. Christal, MD is associated with these hospitals and organizations:

Swedish Medical Center

Providence

Swedish Edmonds Campus

Swedish Cherry Hill Campus

Swedish First Hill Campus

PROLIANCE SURGEONS INC P S

SELECT REHABILITATION LLC

Insurance Information

Please note: Insurance information may change at any time, and the provider may accept your insurance plan even if it is not listed below. Please contact the provider's office to confirm that your insurance is accepted.

Dr. Aric A. Christal, MD appears to accept the following insurance providers: Aetna PPO, Aetna HMO, AARP, Medicare Advantage, Providence, Amerigroup, Humana Medicare Advantage, United Healthcare, Medicare, Aetna Medicare PPO, Medicaid, Kaiser Permanente and Health Net Federal Services Champus.

Insurance Accepted by Provider includes:

According to our sources, Dr. Aric A. Christal, MD accepts the following insurance providers:

Aetna PPO

Aetna HMO

AARP

Medicare Advantage

Providence

Amerigroup

Humana Medicare Advantage

United Healthcare

Medicare

Aetna Medicare PPO

Medicaid

Kaiser Permanente

Health Net Federal Services Champus

Ratings & Reviews

Dr. Aric A. Christal, MD has an exceptional overall rating with an average of 5.0 out of 5 stars based on 1 ratings. We collect ratings and reviews of Dr. Aric A. Christal, MD from all over the web to help you find the right in Edmonds, WA.

Overall Rating

(1 Rating)

Leave a Review

Reviews Left On DocSpot

Overall Rating: 5.0 2025-02-01

Dr. Christal replaced both of my knees. The first was on 10/16/2019, and the other 10/18/2020. He is quite an accomplished orthopedic surgeon. He wrote the book on the knee replacement process used by the Proliance Surgeons group. He has terrific bedside manner, listens well and will answer all your questions. Before surgery you will be thoroughly briefed on the entire procedure, including preparation and aftercare to ensure there are no surprises. The procedure used focuses heavily on pain management and proper rehabilitation therapy to ensure the best outcome possible. I, personally, have achieved 100% mobility in both knees, pain free.
I have met a number of Dr. Cristal’s patients in the years since my surgeries and without exception they all think he is the best and they would never consider anyone but him for orthopedic surgery in his specialty.

General Payments

These charts describe general payments received by Dr. Aric A. Christal, MD. Doctors may receive payments for a number of reasons, including meal compensation, travel compensation, and consulting.

**Payments by Company**
Smith+Nephew, Inc.	$113,362 REAL INTELLIGENCE $23,665	Journey II $16,930	Legion Revision $13,275	JOURNEY $10,944	Tandem $6,849	Other $41,700
DePuy Synthes Sales Inc.	$10,890 Knee $4,628	ATTUNE $2,406	SIGMA $685	PINNACLE $616	Spine $560	Other $1,995
Avanos Medical	$7,578 ON-Q $7,268	ON-Q* PUMP AND ACCESSORIES $310
Pacira Pharmaceuticals Incorporated	$5,732 Exparel $5,732
Stryker Corporation	$1,227 New Product Development $536	KNEES $427	Triathalon $134	Mako $130
Other	$444 EUFLEXXA $201	Navio Surgical System $100	GMK Sphere $59	DVT $44	VIMOVO $22	Other $18

**Types of Payments**
Compensation for services other than consulting, including serving as faculty or as a speaker at a venue other than a continuing education program	$80,035
Travel and Lodging	$24,966
Consulting Fee	$17,959
Food and Beverage	$9,005
Honoraria	$7,268

Biography

Dr. Aric Christal's specialty is adult orthopedic reconstructive surgery. Dr. Christal's areas of expertise include forearm fracture, frozen shoulder, and elbow pain. He accepts several insurance carriers, including Amerigroup, AARP, and Aetna. He graduated from the University of Washington School of Medicine and then he performed his residency at a hospital affiliated with the University of Washington. He is professionally affiliated with Swedish Edmonds Campus, Providence, and Swedish Cherry Hill Campus. Swedish Medical Center reports that he is accepting new patients at his office in Edmonds, WA.