he 41^st EPOS Annual Meeting European Paediatric Orthopaedic Society

The 41st EPOS Annual Meeting European Paediatric Orthopaedic Society in 2023 was held from March 28^th to April 1^st in the ICE Congress Center in Kraków, which drew leading specialists from around the world. One medical poster of the Department of Paediatric Orthopaedics in Shantou University Guangzhou Huaxin Orthopaedic Hospital was selected and the team was invited to give an oral presentation at the meeting. Prof. Li Xu, Dr. Zeng Linfeng and Dr. Chen Shu traveled all the way to Poland to participate in this international event for academic exchange and mutual learning in paediatric orthopaedics.

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EPOS a trip to Poland

Department of Paediatric Orthopaedics in Huaxin Orthopaedic Hospital

Kraków/EPOS/Distinctive old town

“Ding-dong! Ladies and Gentlemen, our plane has landed at Kraków. The temperature outside is 4 degrees celcius.”

On March 27^th, the three of them set out from Guangzhou, arrived in Beijing and then transferred in Amsterdam. It took 26 hours in total. At 10:30 p.m on March 28^th, they finally arrived in Kraków, the third largest city in Poland.

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EPOS in progress

Founded in 1981, EPOS was initially established by 5 paediatric orthopaedic surgeons in Paris. EPOS has over 500 surgeons as its members across the globe so far, dedicated to promoting the development of paediatric orthopaedics, especially in its clinical practice, scientific research and education. It is now one of the oldest and biggest paediatric orthopaedic academic organizations of the highest standard as of now. At present, EPOS Annual meeting has been held for 41 times and the next meeting will kick off in Washington.

In this EPOS meeting, the researches from the Department of Paediatric Orthopaedics such as Osteotomy design of the proximal ulna for radial head reduction in Chronic Monteggia Fracture and A minimally invasive, one short incision, modified Salter Osteotomy for the treatment of developmental dysplasia of children’s hips have aroused the interest of experts at the meeting.

Speech at the Meeting

Experts at the meeting were intrigued by Dr. Zeng Linfeng’s speech titled Osteotomy design of the proximal ulna for radial head reduction in Chronic Monteggia Fracture and they conducted in-depth discussion in this regard. The speaker’s articulate and fluent ORAL English polished the speech, thanks to the English-speaking working environment.

Medical Poster at the Meeting

In this EPOS, one medical poster made by Dr. Chen Shu was also selected to present at the meeting. It is titled A mininally invasive, one short incision, modified Salter Osteotomy for the treatment of developmental dysplasia of children’s hips. It gave an introduction of the extensive innovative work in the surgical treatment of DDH done in recent years by the Department of Paediatric Orthopaedics, which is led by Prof. Li Xu and received high praise from the present experts.

A photo of Prof. Li Xu, Dr. Chen Shu and Dr. Zeng Linfeng at the 41^st EPOS

To participate in this meeting marks a new milestone in the development of the Department of Paediatric Orthopaedics of Shantou University Guangzhou Huaxin Orthopaedic Hospital. The meeting attracts and motivates more young Chinese paediatric orthopaedic surgeons to go global, which not only injects new vitality into the hospital’s department but also brings in new ideas and inspirations for the diagnosis and treatment of diseases related to Paediatric Orthopaedics.

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“Chinese Delegation” to EPOS

“Chinese Delegation” to EPOS

Only two paediatric orthopaedic centers in China were invited to this annual meeting. They were the team from the Department of Paediatric Orthopaedics of Shantou University Guangzhou Huaxin Orthopaedic Hospital led by Prof. Li Xu and the team from the Department of Paediatric Orthopaedics of the Second Hospital of Fujian City led by Chen Shunyou. Representatives from these two hospitals made up the six-member “Chinese Delegation” and traveled to Poland for international exchanges. As the only two teams to participate in the EPOS, they were in foreign lands and were moved by the scene. After the meeting, the two teams gathered at the central square in Kraków to share their feelings and insights.

A photo taken in a restaurant in Kraków on March 31^st

The history of Poland dates back to the 10^th century. In the early Middle Ages, a group of Slavs migrated to a plain between Vistula River and Oder River. Thereafter the Polanians started to write the history of Poland. There are megacities like Warsaw and well-protected exquisite and compact old towns like Kraków, Torun and Wroc?aw in Poland.

Kraków is a paradigm of European capitals in the Middle Ages and its distinctive development features the transition from a mere castle to a dynamic emerging city. Medieval style was embodied in the classical buildings inside the town hence its name the most beautiful city in Poland. Kraków became Poland’s capital in 1038 and were in its prime from the 14^th to 16^th century. At that time it thrived along with Prague and Vienna, which were hailed as three main cultural centers of the Central Europe. During the Second World War, the entire Poland went up in flames and only Kraków was spared from the crossfire, keeping the beautiful landscape of its old town in the Middle Ages intact. Therefore, in 1978, the UNESCO listed these old towns in Kraków as one of the world’s cultural heritages. The whole city is awash with architectural appeal as well as a sense of history as is shown in its packed streets and profound historical and cultural legacy, which radiate extraordinary vitality featuring integration of the past and present.

Kraków

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The Department of Paediatric Orthopaedics of Shantou University Guangzhou Huaxin Orthopaedic Hospital pledges to continuously open up more international platforms for exchanges with a global vision. It will also take an active part in conducting cooperation and exchanges with international paediatric orthopaedic organizations such as National Institutes of Health (NIH), American Academy for Cerebral Palsy and Developmental Medicine (AACPDM), European Paediatric Orthopaedic Society (EPOS) and Paediatric Orthopaedic Society of North America (POSNA). This EPOS meeting is very enlightening and we sincerely hope that we can learn with and from each other and make improvement. In so doing, we can provide medical care of higher quality for young Chinese patients and train Chinese paediatric orthopaedic surgeons to go global, contributing to the development of this cause.   

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Introduction of the Experts

The Department of Paediatric Orthopaedics of Shantou University Guangzhou Huaxin Orthopaedic Hospital, the former department of Paediatric Orthopaedics of the Third Affiliated Hospital of Southern Medical University, was founded by Dr. Li Xu in July 2011. In October 2018, Dr. Li Xu brought his team to Guangzhou Huaxin Orthopaedic Hospital. Since then, specialty construction has scaled new heights and there are increasing international academic exchanges and cooperation. In May 2020, an emeritus professor of the Columbia University Prof. David P. Roye Jr., former director of the Department of Paediatric Orthopaedics of Morgan Stanley Children's Hospital joined the Department of Paediatric Orthopaedics of Shantou University Guangzhou Huaxin Orthopaedic Hospital. The department now serves as the Deputy Chairman of Children’s Orthopaedic Group of Orthopaedic Branch of Chinese Medical Doctor Association and Chairman of Children's Orthopaedic Group of Orthopaedic Branch of Guangdong Medical Doctor Association. It has great competence and distinctive characteristics in this field; in addition to commonly seen children’s trauma and diagnosis and treatment of deformities, the team is able to provide world-class services of high quality in areas that fellow surgeons in China rarely dabble in. For instance, treatment of cerebral palsy-related limb and spinal deformities and moto dysfunctions.

David P. Roye Jr.

Prof. Luo Dewei (Chinese name), MD; an emeritus professor of the Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, the first director of Paediatric Orthopaedics of New York-Presbyterian Morgan Stanley Children’ s Hospital; founder and the first director of the Weinberg Family Cerebral Palsy Center at Columbia University Irving Medical Center; the former chairman of SICOT in North America; fellow of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons and fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics; founding president and chief executive officer of International Healthcare Leadership (IHL), chief medical officer of Juniper MD. Now he works in the Department of Paediatric Orthopaedics of Shantou University Guangzhou Huaxin Orthopaedic Hospital.

In 2009, he received the Humanitarian Award of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS). From 2002 to 2009, he was on the list of “The Best Orthopedic Surgeons” by New York for eight years in a row and received America’ s Top Doctors award from 2017 to 2018.

Specialization:

He specializes in treating children’s spinal deformities, cerebral palsy, developmental dysplasia of the hip and other types of musculoskeletal diseases and has over 40 yeas of clinical experience in Paediatric Orthopaedics. Especially in the treatment of idiopathic and neuromuscular scoliosis in adolescent and pediatric cerebral palsy, he enjoyes a good reputation worldwide.

Li Xu

A postdoc in medicine, chief physician, tutor of postgraduate students; now the president of Shantou University Guangzhou Huaxin Orthopaedic Hospital and director of the Department of Paediatric Orthopaedics; a renowned paediatric orthopaedic expert in China.

Membership:

Chinese Executive member of APPOS; Vice Chairman of the First and Second Paediatric Orthopaedic Committee of the Chinese Orthopaedic Surgeons Association; Member of the Pediatric Trauma and Orthopaedics Group of the Orthopaedic Branch of the Chinese Medical Association; Standing Committee Member of the Orthopaedic Branch of the Guangdong Medical Association and Chairman of the Paediatric Orthopaedic Group; Vice Chairman of the Professional Committee of the Paediatric Orthopaedic Group of the SICOT China Division; Vice Chairman of the Congenital Deformities of the Extremities Group of the Committee of Restorative and Reconstructive Surgery of the Chinese Society of Rehabilitation Medicine; director of the Depuy-Synthes Southern Pediatric Orthopaedic Training Center; lecturer of Paediatric Orthopaedics of AO China.

Specialization:

Surgical treatment of severe and complex trauma and sequelae of bone and joint in children; Developmental Dysplasia of the Hip (DDH), cerebral palsy, clubfoot, polydactyly, syndactyly and other congenital and acquired complex limb deformities in children; sequelae of various bone diseases, avascular necrosis of femoral head (Perthes disease) in children, muscular torticollis, bone and soft tissue tumors, and various rare limb diseases and complicated diseases.

Yan Hua

Outstanding paediatric orthopaedic surgeon in China; MD; Deputy chief physician. He is the deputy director of the Department of Paediatric Orthopaedics of Shantou University Guangzhou Huaxin Orthopaedic Hospital. He has a profound knowledge of paediatric cerebral palsy, foot and ankle, and limb trauma. He graduated from Peking Union Medical College after eight years of study. He did clinical work in the Third Affiliated Hospital of Southern Medical University from 2009 to 2018. He now works in the Department of Paediatric Orthopaedics of Shantou University Guangzhou Huaxin Orthopaedic Hospital.

Membership:

Member of the Foot and Ankle Group of the Pediatric Orthopaedic Specialty Committee of the Orthopaedic Surgeons Branch of the Chinese Medical Association; secretary and member of the Pediatric Orthopaedic Group of the Chinese Section of the International Society for Orthopaedic and Traumatic Surgery (SICOT); youth member of the Pediatric Orthopaedic Committee of the Orthopaedic Innovation and Translation Committee of the Chinese Society of Research Hospitals; Member and Secretary of the Pediatric Orthopaedic Group of the Orthopaedic Branch of the Guangdong Medical Association; youth member of the Foot and Ankle Surgery Group of the Guangdong Joint Surgery Society.

Specialization:

Analysis and management of various gait abnormalities (deformity, dislocation, limb-length discrepancy, neurogenic and post-traumatic muscular weakness) in children; functional anatomy of the foot and ankle; mechanisms, principles of diagnosis and treatment, and surgical techniques of various foot and ankle deformities (flatfoot, high arched foot, vertical talus, etc.); clinical assessment and multi-level/systemic surgical treatment of cerebral palsy; pathological study, clinical assessment and surgical treatment of hip dislocation and other hip diseases; the evaluation and correction of various post-traumatic deformities.

Zeng Linfeng

MD., resident. He studied at the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University from 2015 to 2018. He is the head of Hand Surgery Group of the Department of Pediatric Orthopedics, MD., and visiting scholar in Poland. In 2021, he gave a speech at the Annual Meeting of Pediatric Orthopedics of Guangdong Province on the evaluation and treatment of upper extremity disorders  in cerebral palsy. In 2023, he gave a speech at the EPOS Annual Meeting on the influence of different osteotomy designs of proximal ulnar for radial head reduction in Chronic Monteggia Fracture. He studied at the Nanchang University under Prof. Li Xu, a leading paediatric orthopaedic specialist in China, and later worked with Prof. Roye from Columbia University, USA.

Specialization:

He specializes in the evaluation and surgical treatment of polydactyly (toe), syndactyly (toe), megalodactyly (toe), cleft hand (foot), upper extremity disorders in cerebral palsy, polyarticular contracture of upper extremity and Volkmann's ischemic contracture.

Chen Shu

Chief physician of the Department of Orthopaedics. He has a master's degree in orthopaedic surgery from Southern Medical University and studied under Prof. Li Xu, a famous paediatric orthopaedic specialist; he has participated in a number of provincial and national research projects and published many papers in leading international and domestic academic journals.

Specialization:

He specializes in orthopaedic treatment of developmental hip dysplasia, Perthes disease, congenital clubfoot, cerebral palsy, scoliosis, bilateral lower limb length discrepancy, epiphyseal dysplasia and so on, as well as trauma in children, including limb fractures and pelvic fractures. He has rich clinical experience, treats patients gently and conscientiously, and tries his best to provide the best treatment plan for each patient.