Sculpting, battlefield medicine will be key topics at Hospital for Special Surgery Symposium

New York—November 12, 2008

From the war in Iraq to the parallels of sculpting and orthopedic surgery to winter sports foot injuries, Hospital for Special Surgery's 90th Annual Alumni Association Symposium offers a broad range of discussions that go beyond the operating room.

Robert C. Klapper, M.D., chief of the Division of Orthopedic Surgery at Cedars-Sinai in Los Angeles will present "Michelangelo: How he Manipulated the Anatomy."  This presentation will focus on how Michelangelo – whose sculptures progressed over time from near-perfect replication of the anatomy to abstract art and impressionism – had an understanding of the human anatomy that is not unlike that of today's orthopaedic surgeons.  The presentation takes place on Friday, Nov. 14, at 1:30 p.m.

Dr. Klapper, who is also a sculptor and trained art historian, combined his medical training with his study of art history and notes that as a resident, he "dreamed up ideas and ultimately patented tools that are used by most orthopaedic surgeons in revision hip and knee surgery."  This presentation shows how orthopedic surgery and sculpting relate to one another.  At the end of his presentation, Klapper will reveal a discovery about Michelangelo's work that has been hidden for 500 years.

Another notable presentation will take place on Saturday, Nov. 15, at 7:30 a.m. as NBC News Medical Correspondent Robert Bazell will moderate a panel discussion titled "Lessons From Iraq: Transitional and Definitive Casualty Care."  Joining Mr. Bazell as moderator will be Edward V. Craig, M.D., MPH, attending orthopedic surgeon at Hospital for Special Surgery.  Each physician in this panel will provide insight on medical care for Americans fighting abroad and the challenges they face when they come home.

Topics and presenters from  this panel will include:

• Introduction—A History of How Prior Conflicts Have Advanced Civilian Orthopedics by Commander Bruce Simpson, M.D., United States Navy
• Battlefield Care in Iraq by Major David N. Pressman, M.D., United States Army
• Transitional and Stateside Care—Current Experience and Future Directions by Lieutenant Commander John J. Keeling, M.D., United States Navy

Finally, as the fall and winter sport seasons are upon us, foot and ankle specialists will typically see an increase in office visits as a result of injuries suffered from sports such as basketball, snowboarding, skating, hockey and others.  Alum W. Hodges Davis, M.D., will moderate "Management of Sports Injuries of the Foot and Ankle."  Discussion from HSS's foot and ankle experts will include:

• Treatment of Osteochondral Lesion with Debridement – Martin J. O'Malley, M.D.
• Treatment of Osteochondral Lesion with OATS Procedure – John G. Kennedy, M.D.
• Allograft Reconstruction of Ankle Ligament – Jonathan T. Deland, M.D.
• Lisfranc Injuries – David S. Levine, M.D.
• New Techniques for Ankle and Subtalar Joint Arthroscopy – Charles L. Saltzman, M.D.

Event dates and times:

Friday, November 14, 2008:  1:30 – 2:00 p.m. (Dr. Klapper discussion); 2:45 – 3:45 p.m. (Foot and Ankle panel)

Saturday, November 15, 2008:  7:30 – 8:30 a.m. (Iraq War discussion)

Event location:
Hospital for Special Surgery
Richard L. Menschel Education Center, 2nd Floor
535 East 70th Street
New York, New York

Presenters at this symposium are available for interviews upon request.  To schedule an interview, please contact Tracy Hickenbottom, Public Relations, at Hospital for Special Surgery at 212.606.1197 or at hickenbottomt@hss.edu.