Over 300 experts from across the world converged at the 4th International Virtual Conference on Clinical Spine and Orthopedics Biomechanics, from 16 to 18 April, to discuss various ways of improving the outcome of procedures like Robotic spine surgeon, non-fusion spine technologies, total or partial joint replacement, bone fracture repair, soft tissue repair, limb deformity correction and bone tumour removal.

The conference assumes importance in the wake of rising COVID cases around the world, raising the spectre of prolonged indoor stay that have increased the incidence of musculoskeletal problems in both adults and children, including strain, injuries and fractures. 

The 3-day conference was attended by 315 participants, delegates comprising eminent surgeons, engineers, rehabilitation professionals, and industry representatives  including 133 faculty members from India and 13 from other parts of the world.

The Indian Spinal Injuries Centre (ISIC), New Delhi was the key host for the conference in which globally-renowned academic institutions such as the Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi; Hamburg University of Technology, Germany; The University of Toledo, Ohio, the USA; and Imperial College London, the UK participated to discuss the latest developments in the field of biomechanics and incorporate them in the surgical processes.

“A recent study has found that the most common site for orthopedic implant breaks was the shaft of the femur in patients between 17-95 years comprising more than 40 per cent of implant failures. We have also seen how staying indoors for over a year now has affected the musculoskeletal health of both adults and children. This calls for continuous scrutiny and collaboration between the surgeons and implant design professionals as well as the industry. The fact that back pain has been parallel epidemic due to sedentary lifestyle and bad posture during the pandemic and that fractures and injuries can happen even during COVID and can cause emergency makes conferences like this important for the continuous medical education (CME) – COVID has made us all realize the importance of CME and conferences  in order to serve the patients faster and better,” says Dr H S Chhabra, Medical Director Cum Chief of Spine Services, Indian Spinal Injuries Centre (ISIC), New Delhi.