SICOT e-Newsletter

Issue No. 9 - June 2009

Editorial by Prof Dr Awais Syed, Editorial Secretary

The Planning of the "Health Care Systems" (HCS) of a country is aimed to meet the health care needs of the society. The HCS have three dimensions: (i) length, (ii) width, and (iii) depth. The length or cover must be large enough to ensure even access to all sections of population (rich, poor, urban, rural). The width is comprised of all specialties that are required to address the types of diseases and health problems of the society. The depth is determined by the technological advancements being practiced in delivering the health care, and is based on the available resources. Read more...

In Memoriam

• Prof Maurice E. Müller

SICOT deeply regrets to announce the death of Prof Maurice E. Müller, President of SICOT from 1981 to 1984. The SICOT community extends its sincere condolences to his family and friends. Read more...

• Prof Joachim Loehr

SICOT Events

Sixth SICOT/SIROT Annual International Conference
29 October-1 November 2009 - Pattaya, Thailand
combined meeting with the Royal College of Orthopaedic Surgeons of Thailand (RCOST)

• Scientific Programme

Programme at a glance: The Programme at a glance is available on the SICOT website and is updated regularly.

Plenary Speakers: SICOT is pleased to announce that Prof Shoichi Kokubun, Director of the Research Center for Spine & Spinal Cord Disorders at NHO Nishitaga Hospital in Sendai, Japan, will be delivering a plenary lecture entitled "Spine surgeries in the aging society" on Saturday, 31 October 2009. Read more...

Abstracts: All notifications of abstract acceptance/rejection have been sent by e-mail to the first authors. Please contact the Conference Secretariat at congress@sicot.org if you have not yet received a notification.
Reminder: At least one author of each abstract must register and pay the conference registration fee to have his/her abstract(s) included in the Final Programme and CD-ROM of Abstracts.

• Registration

Online conference registration is open here!

• SICOT Charity Run

Join the 3-km charity run and help a young surgeon attend the next SICOT meeting. Read more...
SICOT warmly thanks Merck & Co., Inc. for kindly supporting this event.

Please visit the SICOT website regularly for updated information about the Conference.

SICOT News

• SICOT Administrative Meetings

National Representatives are kindly requested to visit the Members' Area of the SICOT website regularly to check for updates regarding the SICOT Administrative Meetings. The username (member ID) and password needed to access the Members' Area can be requested from the SICOT Head Office at hq@sicot.org.

Training & Education

• Case of the Month

Six-year-old girl presented with bilateral hip swellings. The swellings have been gradually increasing in size over 1 year, but the constitutional symptoms of fever, warmth and tenderness over the swellings have been present for 1.5 months with increasing pain. ESR was 95/140. X-rays show the following (Figs. 1a & 1b):

 Fig. 1a   Fig. 1b

What is your diagnosis?

1. Soft Tissue Tumour
2. Infection with calcific deposits
3. Tumoral Calcinosis
4. Milk-Alkali Syndrome
5. HyperVitaminosis D
6. Calcinosis Universalis
7. Metastatic Calcification
8. Heterotopic ossification

Read more...

Worldwide News

• Heartburn meds may lead to increased fracture risk

A recent presentation in the Digestive Disease Week 2009, reported increased hip fracture risk in patients taking Proton pump inhibitors (PPI) such as Prevacid, Nexium and Prilosec or H2 receptor antagonists as Zantac or Tagamat. The researchers analysed 40,000 patients taking acid reducing medications and compared to 130,000 not taking the drugs. Patients between 50-59 years on the medications for more than 2 years had the biggest increased fracture risk. Previous researchers have suggested a link between PPI and osteoporosis due to poor absorption of calcium through the stomach. Read more...

• Blood Levels of Cobalt and Chromium in Metal on Metal THR associated with T-cell Lymphopenia

A recent article published in the JBJS Br, has shown that circulating cobalt is related to variations in the T-cell lymphocytic count. They studied 106 patients younger than 65 years with metal on metal THR, and found a drop in CD8+ lymphocyte in 15% and CD3+ lymphocyte in 13% of the patients. This was compared to a control group of ceramic-on-ceramic and metal-on-polyethylene group. Although the effect of reduced lymphocytes is unknown, there has been a link between high levels of cobalt and chromium and DNA damage of lymphocytes. The authors recommend that long-term studies need to be conducted to determine whether the moderate lymphopenia associated with metal-on-metal hip replacements is detrimental or even beneficial to longevity of the replacement. Read more...

Industry News

• Merck & Co., Inc.

Merck & Co., Inc., known as Merck Sharp & Dohme (MSD) outside the US, is a global research-driven pharmaceutical company dedicated to putting patients first. MSD discovers, develops, manufactures, and markets vaccines and medicines to address unmet medical needs. MSD is committed to developing innovative therapies that offer advances in the treatment of serious diseases like atherosclerosis, diabetes, hypertension and obesity, to demonstrate clear value to patients, payors and physicians. Merck & Co., Inc.

Editorial Department

Editorial Secretary: Prof Dr Awais Syed
Assistant Editorial Secretary: Dr Hatem Said
External Affairs: Linda Ridefjord
Special thanks to Prof Charles Sorbie

Rue Washington 40-b.9, 1050 Brussels, Belgium
Tel.: +32 2 648 68 23 | Fax: +32 2 649 86 01
E-mail: edsecr@sicot.org | Website: http://www.sicot.org 

Disclaimer: Some of the views and information expressed in this e-Newsletter include external contributors whose views are not necessarily those of SICOT. SICOT is not responsible for the content of any external internet sites.