AADO Asian Fellowship Programme
A Report from Dr. Devdatta Suhas Neogi
01 - 26 September 2008

It is a report from Dr. Devdatta Suhas Neogi, a candidate in AADO Asian Fellowship Programme, who had a visit to Hong Kong on 01-26 September 2008.

At the onset I would like to express my gratitude to Asian Association for Dynamic Osteosynthesis for giving me this wonderful opportunity to be in HongKong for the Trauma Fellowship and experience things away from home.

I had my fellowship period from 1st Sept 2008 to 26th Sept 2008. Day usually started at 8-00 am with Dr. Shen and Dr. Lee discussing the ward and OT cases. After having worked in orthopaedics for six years and having seen that rarely planning being done for trauma cases, in contrast the importance given to pre-operative planning with three words being stressed in every case -‘PRIORITY, OPTIONS AND PLAN’ has definitely changed my approach to orthopaedic trauma care. The power point discussions of problem cases in orthopaedic trauma with Dr. Shen were another exciting thing that broadened not only the management horizon but also reinforced in me the necessity for a good documentation. It also took care to a large extent the cases that I missed seeing during my fellowship period. Every Wednesday there used to grand rounds wherein the ward cases and operated cases of the week were discussed and analysis of management was made. I also had an opportunity to attend OPDs wherein I could see the follow-up of operated cases and was surprised to see the good outcome in operated elderly patients. The patient doctor relation is good and encouraged me to inculcate the same in me.

I was surprised by the extent of geriatric trauma, the team mainly involved in proximal femoral fractures. The innovative techniques have been developed by this team in management of osteoporotic fractures helped me improve upon the things that I can have in my practice. Two important things I would like to stress is the use of Gamma nailing in intertrochanteric fractures and also osteosynthesis in selected elderly patients in fracture neck femur which are not a normal practice outside. I saw that surgeries are performed at a good speed without compromising any step. Of the many other surgeries I saw, I would particularly like to mention comminuted distal end tibia fractures which were nailed to perfection again stress being on planning every step and executing. However I did not have a chance of seeing acetabular surgery and many periarticular fractures during my fellowship period due to lack of these admissions. However during free time in between cases and after the list I also had an opportunity to see some good foot and ankle, sports and arthroplasty surgeries. The interesting part here is the subspecialty treatment in orthopaedics that has evolved and this has helped giving the best to the patient as one enhances his skills concentrating on the subspecialty.

However I would like to make one point that if possible association could make arrangements with other hospitals to inform when cases like pelvi-acetabular surgeries and peri-articular fractures, navigation assisted trauma surgery take place so that the fellow on that day could visit the said hospital and his learning can broaden.

All in all it was a not just a great learning experience but also an opportunity to make new friends. Everyone not only consultant and residents but also the ward and OT nurses and other supporting staff were helpful and always made me feel at home. I would like to express my sincere gratitude to Dr. W.Y. Shen, Dr. K. B. Lee, Dr Edmond Wong, Ms Kellan Chung, Ms Terry Leung and all others who made this fellowship of mine happen.

Dr. Devdatta Suhas Neogi
25 September 2008