Division of General Orthopaedics and Oncology Chief:
Dr TP Ng Deputy:
Dr YL LAM,
Dr WY Ho
History and
Development
The General
Orthopaedic division is the youngest division in the department. It was
established on January 1st of 2005 during the departmental
infra-structure reform when three teams were restructured into seven
sub-specialty divisions. The main aim of creating this division was to
train orthopaedic surgeons to manage general orthopaedic problems and
master common orthopaedic surgical procedures. These invaluable skills
can later be carried out into private practice.
The division is
responsible for the front-line management of all orthopaedic emergency
admissions, interdepartmental consultations in Hong Kong West Cluster
and triaging complicated orthopaedic problems to other divisions. Some
of the general orthopaedic problems include geriatric hip fracture, bone
and joint degeneration, infections and tumours. These are the patient
groups that have the highest demand on public health services in our
cluster. With an ageing population, we expect an increasing demand in
general orthopaedic care.
The division plays
an important coordinating role in the department. Through coordination,
we aim at efficient utilization of the manpower and resources. The
division therefore works intimately with other divisions in various
meetings, operative sessions, and specialist out-patient clinics.
Our
division includes five to six trainers and equal number of trainees.
Some of the trainees in the division are rotation trainees from various
departments. To ensure
adequate supervision and quality patient care, we adopt the principle of
“specialist-led service” in all clinical duties. Moreover, structured
training activities are organized for our juniors. These include a
series of seminars emphasizing on common orthopaedic problems and
practical pitfalls. In our “general round”, division members take turn
to organize journal reviews and clinical case conferences. During the
weekly “peri-operative meeting”, all operated and scheduled
cases are discussed. Members can share their experiences during the
meeting and at the same time proper pre-operative preparations are
ensured. Our division also collaborates closely with the radiology and
pathology departments in organizing the “musculoskeletal round”.
Patients with diagnostic challenges or interesting radiological or
pathological findings are discussed.
Orthopaedic Oncology
Queen Mary Hospital
has been endorsed as one of the three quaternary referral centres for
musculoskeletal tumours in Hong Kong since 2000. We provide care for
oncology patients referred from other HA hospitals and private doctors
of Hong Kong. A multidisciplinary team approach is essential in the
management of musculoskeletal tumours. We have established a multidisciplinary team including clinical oncologists, paediatric oncologists, orthopaedic surgeons, radiologists and
pathologists.
All referrals are
screened by our oncology specialists and consultations are arranged
within minimal waiting time. All tumours are staged and worked up
according to specifically designed protocols. The overall treatment plan
is designed after assessment by the multidisciplinary team and thorough discussion with
patients and their relatives.
Surgeries ranging from simple excision to
wide resection of tumours with complex reconstruction are performed.
With the advancement in technology and surgical skills, we are capable
of performing limb-sparing resection with similar oncological outcome as
the amputation. Large bone defects are usually reconstructed with tumour
prosthesis. In selected cases, various bone and soft tissue allografts
are used.
Most of the primary
bone malignant tumours are found in adolescents close to the growth
plates. One of the surgical challenges is the anticipated leg length
discrepancy resulting from tumour resection. We have successfully
implanted the “growing prostheses” to paediatric tumour patients.
Through minor surgical procedures, the prosthesis can be lengthened to
equalize the leg length of the patient during growth.
Computer
Navigation Surgery
The advancing
technology of computer navigation has been applied to assist multiple
orthopaedic operations. We are routinely using the technology in
minimal-invasive total knee arthroplasty and high tibial osteotomy. The
surgeon can accurately determine the bone cuts, limb alignment and
prosthesis position using the navigation system. Navigation technology
has also been successfully used in femoral osteotomy.
We have also applied
computer navigation in orthopaedic oncology surgery. Massive acetabular
metastasis can be reconstructed by fixing the acetabular component on a
framework of threaded pins. The pins are inserted accurately through
navigation into the remaining intact pelvis with complex anatomy.
Musculoskeletal
Infection
A significant number
of our patients suffer from musculoskeletal infection. These range from
life-threatening necrotizing fasciitis to complicated chronic
osteomyelitis. The management of orthopaedic infection especially the
acute ones require high index of suspicion and experience. With the
accumulation of extensive experience, our division
is developing in the direction of “subspecialization” in musculoskeletal
infection.
Fragility
Fracture Management and Secondary Prevention
Osteoporosis-related
fractures are becoming a growing problem. This is particularly essential
in our cluster, which is the eldest part of Hong Kong. General
Orthopaedic Division actively collaborates with the Trauma Division and
the Department of Medicine in organizing a holistic fragility fracture
management program. We aim to achieve secondary fracture
prevention in our osteoporotic patients through proper investigations,
education, drug treatment and regular monitoring.
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