Many milestones as Orthopaedic Association holds annual meeting
The 15th Annual Meeting of the Sri Lanka Orthopaedic Association (SLOA) will be held on Thursday, November 2, in Colombo, on the theme ‘Stability and Growth in Uncertain Times’.
Fifteen Teaching Hospitals, 17 District General Hospitals, 4 Base Hospitals and 1 Provincial General Hospital around the country have orthopaedic units which provide a range of services from trauma care to elective orthopaedic interventions such as knee and hip replacement surgery. The treatment of road traffic accident victims and other patients with orthopaedic ailments has continued uninterrupted despite the challenges of limited resources.
Since its inception in 1992, the SLOA’s motto has been providing quality orthopaedic care to the people of Sri Lanka. Its milestones in the past year include:
· The inauguration of the Sri Lanka Arthroscopy Society (SLAS) in September this year with Dr. Dilshan Munidasa as the first President. Arthroscopy is minimally-invasive keyhole surgery of joints like the knee and shoulder, without open surgery. Many sports injuries and joint ailments can be treated under this modality. The SLAS’s Secretary is Dr. Parakrama Dharmaratne and Treasurer Dr. Suneth Chandrarathna.
· The formation of the Paediatric Orthopaedic Society of Sri Lanka (POSSL) in September with Dr. Sunil Wijayasinghe as President, to treat children with limb trauma
The Council of the Sri Lanka Orthopaedic Association
The President-elect of the Paediatric Orthopaedic Society of Sri Lanka (POSSL), Dr. Dimuthu Tennakoon lighting the lamp at the launch of the POSSL, with the President of the Sri Lanka Orthopaedic Association, Dr. Bandujeewa Piyasena looking on
as well as bony and soft tissue abnormalities of the limbs and spine. The POSSL Secretary is Dr. Anuradha Rajapaksha and President-elect is Dr. Dimuthu Tennakoon.
· The conducting of the first-ever ‘Cadaveric Arthroscopy Training Programme’ in September for around 30 orthopaedic surgical trainees at the Sri Jayewardenepura University’s Anatomy Department. It was organized by Dr. Suneth
The President of the Sri Lanka Arthroscopy Society (SLAS), Dr. Dilshan Munidasa, at the inauguration of the SLAS.
Dr. Suneth Chandrarathna who organized the Cadaveric Arthroscopy Workshop
Chandrarathna with the support of the SLOA and Anuradhapura Clinical Society.The SLOA hopes to invite foreign delegates for future workshops.
· Another first would be a ‘Cadaveric Workshop on the Hand and Wrist’ scheduled for October 30 and 31 at the Sri Jayewardenepura University’s Anatomy Department for orthopaedic and plastic surgical trainees. Renowned Hand and Wrist Surgeon, Prof. Gregory Bain from Australia’s Flinders
The President of the Paediatric Orthopaedic Society of Sri Lanka (POSSL), Dr. Sunil Wijayasinghe delivering his message at the launch of the POSSL
University is a trainer. The workshop is organized by Dr. Melany Amarasooriya in partnership with SLOA.
Meanwhile, a cycling event to raise awareness and funds for the Bone Cancer Fund would be held on November 2, to coincide with the SLOA’s annual meeting. The fund will help patients with malignant bone tumours who are mostly children at risk of losing life or limb.
Organized by Dr. Parakrama Dharmaratne, foreign and local faculty members; members of other professional colleges and cycling enthusiasts are expected to participate.
The event will pedal off at 5.15 a.m. from Independence Square, Colombo 7, ride through the Port City in Fort and return to the start point. Any person who is interested in participating may contact the SLOA office on 0762820181 for further details.