On 22 and 23 February, the Humanitas Congress Centre hosted the “Ortho Center Meeting Humanitas” conference, the first opportunity for discussion among all Humanitas orthopaedic specialists.
An important opportunity to exchange knowledge among orthopaedic experts and, above all, to educate the future doctors and postgraduates through seminars, lectures, practical simulations and real-life surgery (including the use of simulators for arthroscopy) held, among others, by some of the most important experts at the international level.
There were several foreign guests at the event, including Prof. Per Kjærsgaard-Andersen, President of the European Society of Orthopaedics and Traumatology (EFORT), Prof. Akos Zahar of the Helios Klinikum Emil von Behring in Berlin and Prof. Vittore Costa of the Clinique duSport in Paris.
The convention was also sponsored by the SIOT Society, the Italian Society of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, and the Italian Society for Hand Surgery (SICM).
Primary Themes of the Meeting
“At a time when the independent and free exchange of information regarding scientific and clinical innovations is becoming increasingly difficult, we thought of organizing a convention that, starting from the experience of the orthopaedic professionals of Humanitas, would offer a comparison of opinions and strategies,” explained Professor Maurilio Marcacci, Head of the Centre for Knee Joint Reconstruction, Professor at Humanitas University and Chairman of the Scientific Committee of the congress.
Knee prosthetic surgery, injury to the wrist and the rotator cuff, rehabilitation and customization of orthopaedic treatment, are just some of the topics that were discussed at the two-day convention at Humanitas congress center; and still a look beyond them with comparisons between the treatment protocols held in European prosthetic centers of excellence such as France, Germany, Denmark; finally, the new trends in pediatric orthopedics and neurological orthopedics.
The importance of education and cutting-edge technologies
The exchange and sharing of knowledge is fundamental for the retraining of specialists and experts, but it is also fundamental for students and postgraduates; for this reason a special attention will also be given to their education.
“Comparison is essential at all levels, especially for the students and postgraduates, who can rely on the great clinical experience of orthopaedic surgeons at Humanitas. In addition, they can gain experience in a safe environment thanks to the simulation: the Simulation Center and the wet lab allow them to test themselves by recreating situations that they will encounter daily in their clinical practice. Finally, it will be an opportunity to consolidate scientific collaborations as well as sharing diagnostic and therapeutic strategies with other Italian opinion leaders,” adds Prof. Marcacci.
“We are very interested in the education and development of our young people – added Prof. Alessandro Castagna, head of the Shoulder Surgery Unit at Humanitas and lecturer at Humanitas University -. Our institute is one of the first in Italy that uses arthroscopic simulators for the education and training of our young doctors. It is very important that young people immediately achieve good surgical skills, since they must be able to operate on their own and be ready for the operating room”.
In order to encourage the learning of the students and specializing in biomedical disciplines, the Simulation Center of Humanitas University has recently been enriched with two simulators of arthroscopy. “Usually a young orthopaedic surgeon does not have the opportunity to take an arthroscope in hand – explained Dr. Tommaso Bonanzinga, specialist at the Humanitas Centre for Knee Joint Reconstruction – Thanks to the simulators it is possible to understand exactly how to steer the light beam, learn how to triangulate, and gain confidence without any hurry. The software is designed to guide the surgeon through a path that goes from the acquisition of basic skills to improving diagnostic skills and refining surgical gestures,” he concluded.
“This type of technology offers real training possibilities and when they reach the operating room the trainees are more confident. Arthroscopic simulators are instruments with very advanced technologies and also valuable for specialists who can continue their training while planning interventions,” explains Prof. Elizaveta Kon, Head of Translational Orthopaedics at the Centre for Knee Joint Reconstruction Humanitas and lecturer at Humanitas University. “Improving surgical skills – concluded Professor Kon – benefits the doctor but most importantly the patient”.
