What are evidence-based surgical solutions?

Evidence-based surgical solutions are the ongoing systematic research of the latest open and minimally invasive surgical techniques to improve the quality of care and patient outcomes.

The uptake and adaptation of new clinical guidelines can be challenging. However, it’s important to study new clinical evidence and continuously improve our treatment modalities. Therefore, academic knowledge with clinical acumen can influence critical decision-making and the eventual outcome in orthopaedic surgery.

What is the purpose of evidence-based surgical solutions?

Ultimately, evidence-based medicine helps doctors, in this case, orthopaedic surgeons, make informed decisions to enhance patient care. The purpose of studying the latest clinical evidence is to equip orthopaedic surgeons with the necessary knowledge to continuously improve patient care while considering the costs involved, ethics and general safety of surgical practices.

The principle of an excellent orthopaedic practice is built on the following:

• Only consider surgery when conservative treatments do not offer equivalent results.
• Base the surgical solutions on proven guidelines that would result in the best ultimate outcome for the patient.

How valuable is research in orthopaedics?

Clinical research provides the opportunity to reflect upon existing treatment modalities and compare them to newer surgical techniques.

In addition, new, highly advanced diagnostic imaging, such as low-radiation CT scans and next-generation MRI technologies, provide the platform for new research in orthopaedic diagnosis and treatment strategies.

The outlook for orthopaedic research is positive. The ever-expanding pool of researchers in South Africa and the rest of the world will steer the orthopaedic fraternity to develop and implement evidence-based solutions.

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