Kyoto –> Fukuoka

After catching a quick breakfast at our Hotel, we were escorted by our hosts to Kyoto Prefrectural University Hospital for an educational morning of observing a wide range of surgeries.

In the operating room, we were impressed by our host surgeons’ incredible skill and use of novel and innovative techniques. Dr. Hitoshi Tonomura walked us through his thoughtful minimally-invasive, muscle-preserving interlaminar decompression. Dr. Masashi Ishida performed a hip arthroscopy and complex peri-acetabular osteotomy, demonstrating to us a modification of the technique that spares the inner table of the pelvis. In addition, we were fortunate to observe Dr. Yoshinobu Oka and Dr. Tsuyoshi Sukenari perform tibialis anterior transfer surgery and arthroscopic rotator cuff repair, respectively. We cannot thank these talented surgeons enough for welcoming us into their Department and Operating Rooms for an enlightening experience.

After a quick tour of the library, we were escorted by our hosts to the Kyoto train station, where we boarded the train bound for our next stop : Fukuoka. We are incredibly grateful for our wonderful hosts at Kyoto Prefectural University – they organized an unforgettable visit showcasing their respected University and Departmental as well as their beautiful and historic city of Kyoto. We made many new friends and look forward to seeing them again in Fukuoka. Special thanks to Professor Kenji Takahashi and Dr. Yoshikazu Kida for organizing and sponsoring such an amazing visit.

On the three hour train ride to Fukuoka, many of the fellows took advantage of this time to knock out the rising piles of emails, read, or catch up on some much needed sleep. The train is also a great time to see the Japanese countryside firsthand.

Fukuoka, the site of this year’s annual JOA meeting, is the 6th largest city in Japan and is situated on the southern island of Kyushu on the shores of Hakata bay with a population of just over 1.5 million. Given its proximity to mainland Asia, it has long been considered as the gateway to Japan.

Once we arrived in Fukuoka, we were greeted by our Drs. Tatsuya Shibata, Tetsuro Ishimatsu, and Terufumi Shibata, who helped us navigate to our new hotel. From there, we went to Fukuoka University Hospital for our lectures and discussion. Fukuoka University Hospital is led by Chairman and Professor Takyaki Yamamoto, who is world-renown for his scholarly work and expertise as a pioneer in the field of hip preservation surgery and avascular necrosis. The Fukuoka University Orthopaedic Department has one of the larger residency programs with 35 resident trainees. Fukuoka Hospital (https://www.hop.fukuoka-u.ac.jp/eng/) is a 915-bed hospital that recently opened a new main hospital building just weeks prior to our visit.

Our talks inspired a dynamic discussion amongst those in attendance from Fukuoka University on the topics of midfoot trauma, arthroscopic management of shoulder instability, acute fixation of pilon and tibial plateau fractures, AI-driven wearable devices in orthopaedic surgery, and cervical laminoplasty.

Following our talks, we enjoyed a wonderful dinner with our generous hosts before calling it a night.