Surgeons, physios' meet stresses need for AI in shoulder surgeries

Bengaluru: Manipal Hospital, Whitefield, organized MISCON (Manipal Whitefield International Shoulder Conference), explicitly, for shoulder surgeons and physiotherapists in Bengaluru.

The conference was inaugurated by Dr H. Sudarshan Ballal, Chairman, Manipal Hospitals. Some of the guests from Manipal Hospitals were part of the conference, including Karthik Rajagopal, COO, Manipal Hospitals, Deepak Venugopalan, Regional COO, Bengaluru, Tamil Nadu and Mysuru Cluster; Dr. Murali Srinivasan, Chief of Medical Services, Manipal Hospitals; Arnab Mondal, Hospital Director, Manipal Hospital Whitefield; Dr. Ayyappan V Nair, Consultant - Shoulder Surgery, Sports Medicine and Arthroscopy, Manipal Hospital Whitefield, and Dr. Manish Rai, Hospital Director, Manipal Hospital Old Airport Road.

The conference was attended by over 200 shoulder surgeons and 150 physiotherapists from all over the world. There was exclusive cadaver training in shoulder keyhole surgery for young aspiring shoulder surgeons which was attended by 20 delegates from different parts of the country. The conference dealt with all shoulder related ailments and the advancements in the field of keyhole shoulder surgery including the use of AI which is the future of medicine.

The new cutting-edge technology can help the surgeons in planning the treatment in shoulder surgery. The surgeons can interact with colleagues from different parts of the world and decide on the best treatment modality even from the operating room. The AR and VR technology can help in training the young surgeons in surgical anatomy, virtual training in operative techniques and early detection of disease conditions of shoulder. The use of machine learning techniques in identifying complex shops in healthcare datasets and building prediction models helping surgeons in patient treatment decision making were dealt with by different international speakers.

The conference was attended by eminent national and international faculties in the shoulder surgery. There was in-depth panel discussion about all shoulder related injuries and the progresses made in the treatment of the conditions. The use of AI in the field of shoulder surgery was stressed upon in the Conference by international speakers from South Korea, Japan, Brazil, and Thailand which could change the outlook of current treatment protocols. The use of AI will be boon for the patients helping them in getting world class treatment and faster recovery to their daily works.

The shoulder and sports injury unit of Manipal Hospital Whitefield also demonstrated innovative technique in treating the recurrent shoulder dislocations. The technique involves stitching back the torn ligaments and also transfer of biceps tendon preventing further dislocations and hastening the recovery. This technique done in keyhole manner can reduce the complication rates and helping the patients to return to their favorite sporting activities.

Dr Sudarshan Ballal said, "Manipal Hospitals has not only been in the forefront of providing robust medical services but has always made an effort to create a platform to impart knowledge and gather the best of minds to discuss various topics. We are the leaders in the Diplomate of National Board (DNB) program in the country and we have a strong DNB program in orthopaedics. These programs help share our knowledge with those in need of it."

Three live surgeries were part of the conference program performed by top shoulder surgeons of India imparting knowledge to the young aspiring orthopaedic surgeons. They also held extensive discussions on advanced shoulder surgeries such as shoulder replacement, superior capsular reconstruction and arthroscopic Later jet.

The conference was also used as a platform to launch two products by two eminent Medtech companies ― Arthrex and Sironix, which is used in the keyhole shoulder surgeries.

The Consultant-Shoulder Surgery, Sports Medicine and Arthroscopy, Manipal Hospital Whitefield, Dr. Ayappan V Nair said, "The objective of the event was to provide extensive training to orthopaedic surgeons and to take the medical academic level up a notch. The conference had panel discussions, highlighting the intricate and complex cases and the advanced techniques used to get the best results for the surgeries. There were active sessions on the need to integrate AR and VR, not only for the pre-operative planning but use extensively during the surgeries for accuracy in treating the patients."

"Three elements were incorporated into the training schedule. These were arthroscopic technics in cadaver training, physiotherapy training, which is the key to sound recovery and rehab, and scientific debate and discussion on different topics," he added.The conference also organised workshops for young physiotherapists in common shoulder conditions which was attended by over 150 delegates from all over the country, providing them platforms to learn and pave the way to transform the healthcare system in India.