The Philippine Orthopaedic Association (POA) marked a milestone with its 75th Annual Congress held from Nov. 13 to 16, 2024 at the Edsa Shangri-La Manila.
Themed ‘Cutting Diamond: Looking Back and Moving Forward’, the diamond anniversary gathered the country’s leading orthopedic specialists, together with experts from other countries to share best practices and celebrate recent advancements and developments in orthopedic care.
The congress highlighted both the accomplishments and innovations shaping the field in the Philippines, reaffirming the POA’s commitment to excellence in patient care and professional development.
POA past president Dr. Frederic Joseph Diyco highlighted one of the notable developments in the country’s thrust for better orthopedic care: the growth of sub-specialty organizations.
“With 75 years of history, we can look back and see how much local Orthopedics has evolved and changed for the better. Today, we see an increase in sub-specialization, as evidenced by the 10 sub-specialty societies within the Philippine Orthopaedic Association—with more emerging. Affiliate societies have also been formed, each focusing on distinct interests within orthopedics. The field is continuously advancing toward greater specialization,” Diyco said.
Aligned with its theme, another significant development discussed during the congress was the introduction of a new osteoporosis treatment in the Philippines that is expected to become available starting December 2024.
Dr. Ronald Tangente, president of the Philippine Spine Society and head of the Brain, Spine and Scoliosis Center at Davao Doctors Hospital, presented this advancement in his session, “Managing Very High Fracture Risk in Patients with Osteoporosis.”
Dr. Tangente highlighted the treatment’s potential that both stimulate bone formation and reduce bone destruction, offering new hope for osteoporotic patients at very high risk for fractures.
“I was invited to the US over five years ago to a meeting where this treatment was first introduced, and the results were extremely encouraging,” Dr. Tangente said.
“Since then, I’ve been eager to bring it to the Philippines, but it hasn’t been available yet. Many of my patients are at very high fracture risk, and while I currently use an alternative treatment now, I’m looking forward to offering this new option as soon as it arrives. I’ve seen patients show improvement in bone mineral density and bone strength as early as three months with this new treatment. This could be a game-changer for improving the quality of life of our elderly patients,” said Dr. Tangente.
POA board of trustee member Dr. Michael Muñoz said innovations like the osteoporosis treatment presented by Dr. Tangente are among the key takeaways from the congress.
“This is our 75th anniversary, and innovations in orthopedic care are a major highlight of this event,” Dr. Muñoz said. He pointed out how orthopedic care in the Philippines has evolved, especially with the introduction of fragility fracture treatments.
“In the past, there was no specific treatment for fragility fractures. Now, it’s a breakthrough. Our focus is shifting towards treating fragility fractures, not just the fracture itself. Previously, we’d only operate on the fracture without addressing the underlying issue—the fragility caused by osteoporosis,” said Dr. Munoz.
Dr. Muñoz envisions expanding and strengthening the fragility fracture network nationwide, a system pioneered by Dr. Irewin Tabu, with dedicated fragility liaison officers in hospitals.
Such a network would play a key role in monitoring patients post-treatment or surgery, ensuring follow-ups to track progress and treatment outcomes.
“This is a challenge for us because building a system within the hospital is essential,” he said.
Dr. Muñoz is optimistic that with the continued active participation and commitment of orthopedic professionals, this initiative will become a reality in the next five years.
Orthopedic care in the Philippines has evolved significantly over 75 years, with advancements like fragility fracture treatments and growing sub-specializations. As the POA looks to the future, its commitment to continuous advancement through research and technology ensures better patient outcomes nationwide.
