UPMC Hosts International Consensus Meeting to Address Complex Ankle Injuries
By: Rick Pietzak and Cyndy Patton
Global leaders in the field of orthopaedic foot and ankle surgery recently gathered in Pittsburgh for the International Consensus Meeting on Cartilage Repair of the Ankle.
The first-of-its-kind meeting was the result of a year-long collaboration among national and international experts to develop a consensus on key focus areas like the diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation for common and complex injuries to the ankle.
“In over 60 percent of ankle sprains, there is an associated injury, whether it be small or large, to the surrounding cartilage of the ankle,” said Dr. Macalus V. Hogan, vice chairman of education and division chief of foot and ankle surgery in the Department of Orthopaedic Surgey at UPMC. “Our goal is to reach consensus with these thought and evidence-driven leaders so we can ultimately improve patient care.”
The meeting included over 100 orthopaedic surgeons, physical therapists, radiologists and scientists from 26 countries.
Christopher Murawski, a fourth-year medical student at the University of Pittsburgh, became interested in orthopedics after suffering injuries as a high school baseball player. He said conferences like these help move research and treatment options forward.
“We have been meeting as a group since 2012, and the first time there was a lot of disagreement,” he said. We now have a very unique opportunity to bring a group of experts together from around the world and discuss a problem where not a lot of clinical evidence exists.”
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