DIVISION of orthopaedic surgery
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Tygerberg Academic Hospital
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Welcome to the Division of Orthopaedic Surgery,
The Division of Orthopaedic Surgery of Tygerberg Academic Hospital and the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University is based in the Western Cape, South Africa. We strive to provide quality tertiary medical care to our community, to train world class general practitioners and orthopaedic specialists and to produce relevant and high-quality research within our burden of disease spectrum. Enjoy our website and feel free to peruse the numerous training opportunities that are on offer within our division.
NEWS
PROSTHESIS STUDY EMPOWERS CHILDREN (by Edna Ellman)
Philip* was born without bones in his right foot. At age three he underwent an operation to remove his leg below the knee. In September 2019, after years of using government-issued prosthetics, Philip (then 16), was one of eight kids who received a new prosthesis courtesy of a donation by Össur, a company that manufactures orthopaedic equipment. It formed part of a collaborative study between the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences’ Department of Sport Science, Division of Orthopaedic Surgery and Institute of Sport and Exercise Medicine (ISEM). Click here to read the full story 
New publication record for the Division of Orthopaedic Surgery
Although it was a rough and challenging year with all the COVID-19 challenges the division of orthopaedic surgery has been able to publisch 35 scientific articles in 2020, which is more than double than than the publication of 2019. Since the research support program was started mid 2014 the division has strongly increased it's scientific output, while it also has produced the first two PhD's ever in orthopaedic surgery at Stellenbosch University (Dr PR King and Prof J du Toit). 
Orthopaedics in the developing world: ADAPTING to a new reality within the COVID-19 pandemic
Adaptation is the process of changing to become accustomed to a new environment. In evolutionary terms, this process occurs over many generations and millions of years. The COVID-19 pandemic has come as a Cretaceous-Paleogene extinction event, thus threatening the way in which we, as orthopaedic surgeons, have traditionally gone about our work. As an orthopaedic department within an academic hospital, we had to define our role in this crisis while maintaining a high level of patient care, continuing with pre-and post-graduate education and, most importantly, achieving a new homeostasis with regards to life and work. Apart from maintaining our orthopaedic productivity we also had to ADAPT; we had to Assist with the COVID-19 patients, play a role in Developing PPE, be Aware of our colleagues and the stressors arising from the pandemic, remain Productive with regards to research and maintain our Teaching and training program. As South Africa is still in the process of heading towards the envisioned 60-90 day peak of the COVID-19 crisis, we have some important decisions to make. Do we merely survive and allow this to be a 'Crisis Wasted' or do we seize the 'Opportunities within the Crisis' and assist for the greater good? Click here to read the full story COVID-19: The personal and professional impact for fellows overseas during the pandemic
By William J Nasha 1, Obi Nzeakob 2 and Aaron Sainic 3 1 St Mary's Healthcare, Portland, Maine USA; 2 University of Toronto, Ontario, Canada; 3 Tygerberg Hospital, Cape Town, South Africa Introduction As the COVID-19 virus makes it's impact felt around the world, it is clear that the impact at home has been significant. There has been a significant knock-on effect to the trauma and orthopaedic services across the UK and surgeons in training have had their training interrupted and been placed in stressful and overwhelming situations as part of redeployment to the front-line. Click here to read the full story
TygerMaties 3D print protective gear in fight against COVID-19
When the Division of Orthopaedic Surgery at Stellenbosch University (SU) started a 3D printing laboratory about two years ago to assist surgeons in planning and rehearsing surgical procedures, they had no idea the lab would be put to use in a pandemic. Yet that is what's happening as staff and students work long hours to 3D print and assemble visors to be distributed and used as protective gear for those working on the frontline of fighting the COVID-19 crisis. Dr Rudolph Venter, an orthopaedic surgeon and lecturer in Clinical Anatomy at SU's Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences (FMHS) came up with the idea after the virus broke out in South Africa. ** Click here to read more ** 
New era dawns with game-changing technique
Orthopaedic surgeons at Tygerberg Hospital employ a winning blend of positivity and the latest surgical techniques to transform lives blighted by hip fracture and deformity. Bones: a happy speciality The orthopaedic profile is one of “happy surgeons,” reckons Dr Koos Jordaan, head of the Hip and Knee Arthroplasty Unit at Tygerberg Hospital’s Division of Orthopaedic Surgery. He believes this positivity arises from the simple satisfaction of “fixing something with your hands”, the healing and regenerative potency of bone tissue itself, and the privilege of witnessing post-operative results where the lame rise up, and walk again. ** Click here to read more ** 
Purpose-built reduction bed in the limelight at Indaba
A prototype of a purpose-built cervical spinal-reduction bed that was constructed in his garage by a former registrar in the spinal unit at Tygerberg Hospital and his colleagues, drew lots of attention at the recent Innovation Indaba. “We were faced with the problem of cervical dislocation. It’s a devastating injury when associated with spinal cord damage and paralysis. But, if dealt with appropriately and quickly, a better result can be achieved,” Dr Johan Davis, former head of the spinal unit at Tygerberg Hospital, explained the need for an improved intervention in this type of injury. “Where resources and skills allow, you would do a rapid surgical intervention. But, with limited availability of surgical capabilities or theatre time in most centres, a closed-reduction manoeuvre can win time by removing the pressure off the spinal cord until you can fix it more permanently.” This type of injury is usually caused by car and sports accidents, as well as interpersonal violence. ** Click here to read more ** |
Orthopaedic Training Courses TBA 2021 TL-HEX training course TBA 2021 TSF training course TBA 2021 TL-HEX training course TBA 2021 TSF training course 
Ortho 3D Print Lab
(click on the image for more information) |
