FOCOS HOSTS SCOLIOSIS RESEARCH SOCIETY 2019 TRAVELLING FELLOWS
FOCOS Orthopedic Hospital, hosted this year’s Travelling Fellows from Scoliosis Research Society (SRS) from Monday 26th August – Wednesday 28th August, 2019 at the FOCOS Orthopedic Hospital in Accra.
The Scoliosis Research Society (SRS) is an international society that was founded in 1966 with 37 members. With a purpose to foster the optimal care of all patients with spinal deformities, SRS has gained recognition as one of the world’s premier spine societies. The SRS has maintained a commitment to research and education in the field of spinal deformities. Strict membership criteria ensure that the individual Fellows support that commitment. Current membership includes over 1,300 of the world’s leading spine surgeons, researchers, physician assistants and orthotists who are involved in research and treatment of spinal deformities.
Among the visiting Drs. that came down to FOCOS were: Drs. George H. Thompson, who was the leader of the team that came to FOCOS. He is a past director of Pediatric Orthopedics at the Rainbow Children’s Hospital; University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center, Prof. emeritus of Orthopedic Surgery and Pediatrics at Case Western Reserve University, Vice chair of the Department of Orthopedic Surgery-University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center (1987-2019) Current co-chair of the Salter Society – Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto Canada and SRS President for 2007/2008, Gregory Mundis, Adult and Pediatric Spinal Deformity Surgery Co-Director -San Diego Spine Fellowship – Present , Interim Director – Global Spine Outreach, Chicago, IL – Present, Addisu Mesfin, A. Goldstein Spinal Surgery Fellowship, 2015-present, Associate Clinical Director Centre for Medical Technology and Innovation Master’program, 7/2015-present, Associate Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery and Neurosurgery, 2017 –present and John Caridi, Assistant Professor of Neurosurgery and Orthopedics (Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai).
Presentation topics included the following: Establishing a sustainable global outreach program, Patient Reported Outcomes in spinal deformity, Predictors of delayed extubation following osteotomy, Osteotomy for correction of iatrogenic spinal deformity, Prevalence of Klippel-Feil Syndrome in Western New York State, Use of Magnetically controlled growing rods in the treatment of early onset scoliosis.
The last day of the conference was dedicated to reviews and presentations by FOCOS doctors (Prof. O. Boachie-Adjei, Dr. K.P. Yankey and Dr. A.O. Sackeyfio on complex spine cases.
Speaking on some of the challenges that confront underdeveloped and developing countries in the treatment of Scoliosis, Prof. Oheneba Boachie-Adjei, the Founder and President of FOCOS, said, “ there are a number of challenges confronting countries and these include; Finances (there is usually no Insurance programs for specialty care), Human Resources (not many specialists exist in this area), Infrastructure (we do not have adequate structures for specialized care), Complex Orthopedic and medical conditions (suspected cases are not reported early enough, while cultural practices and beliefs tend to discourage a number of people from seeking treatments).
The Foundation of Orthopedics and Complex Spine (FOCOS) is a non-profit organization, established in 1998 in the United States and Ghana by Dr. Oheneba Boachie-Adjei, who was Professor of Orthopedic Surgery at Weill-Corner Medical College of Cornell University and the hospital for Special surgery
FOCOS mission is to provide highest quality and affordable orthopedic care to those who would not otherwise have access to such treatment. For more information about FOCOS hospital and how to make a donation please go to www.focoshospital.org/donate-now
