Volodymyr Oleksiiovych Tankut<\/a> conveyed warm greetings and presented Dr. Cheverda with “intellectual souvenirs” \u2014 books and more.<\/p>\nDuring the scientific session, the first presentation was delivered by Professor Oleksii Korniliiovych Popsuishapka, who addressed the issues of nonunion following internal osteosynthesis of diaphyseal fractures of the femur, tibia, humerus, and forearm. His presentation focused on:<\/p>\n
Frequency of nonunion and the importance of informing patients about this risk;<\/p>\n
Literature data on complication likelihood;<\/p>\n
Distribution of force vectors during axial loading of the studied bones;<\/p>\n
Clinical analysis of:<\/p>\n
900 patients evaluated by medical boards (nonunion\/osteomyelitis) over 3 years;<\/p>\n
74 patients treated at Sytenko Institute, Chuhuiv Hospital, and Kharkiv Regional Clinical Trauma Hospital from 2010\u20132025;<\/p>\n
Specific clinical cases using external fixation (EF) for bone healing.<\/p>\n
Dr. Viktor Mykhailovych Cheverda gave a presentation on orthopaedic and trauma care at Meref\u2019yanska Hospital during wartime (15 trauma beds). He outlined department activities, equipment, and the work of the rehabilitation unit (20 beds, opened June 2024), as well as the palliative care unit (inpatient and mobile). He concluded: “Movement is life. By restoring movement, we give people back their joy of life.”<\/p>\n
Dr. Kostyantyn Kostyantynovych Romanenko discussed whether the four core AO principles (formulated in 1958) are still applicable in the treatment of combat-related limb injuries. He focused on the \u201cDiamond Concept\u201d of fracture healing, combining mechanical and biological factors, and illustrated through clinical cases how AO principles can be effectively applied in battlefield conditions involving high-energy injuries with soft tissue trauma and contamination. His conclusion: AO principles remain valid but must be adapted to the specific trauma context.<\/p>\n
Professor Valerii Oleksandrovych Lytvyshko shared insights gained from his mentors and treatment methods that shaped his approach, aiming for lower complication rates. He presented treatment results of 282 patients, including 99 with gunshot fractures, at Chuhuiv Central District Hospital from 2022 to 2024. His clinical cases showed that external fixation with preserved functional loading of the limb achieved the best outcomes in treating diaphyseal long bone fractures.<\/p>\n
Dr. Petro Vitaliiovych Nikitin, a leading orthopaedic traumatologist from the Central Clinical Hospital of the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine, discussed current global trends in treating combat-related fractures. His report covered multidisciplinary, staged, and personalised approaches with seven key treatment directions:<\/p>\n
The tactical doctrine of Damage Control Orthopaedics (DCO);<\/p>\n
Early aggressive wound debridement;
\n…and more. A clinical case illustrated successful recovery: a 27-year-old soldier presented on day 5 post-injury with external fixation on the right leg and left leg amputation. After 2.5 years, the patient recovered, got married, and became a father.<\/p>\n
Dr. Yurii Viktorovych Klapchuk, head of the trauma clinic at the Northern Region Military Medical Clinical Centre (NR MMCC), presented criteria for conversion in limb trauma management. He defined the term, reviewed legal and procedural guidelines, outlined a conversion assessment scale, indications and contraindications, alternative treatments for bone defects, and shared clinical examples. Key conclusions:<\/p>\n
Internal fixation is possible after decontamination, stabilisation, and wound closure;<\/p>\n
Optimal conversion period: 7\u201314 days post-injury;<\/p>\n
Adhering to NATO, BOA, JTS protocols, and conversion scales increases success;<\/p>\n
Some cases require individualised decision-making based on context and patient condition.<\/p>\n
After the official programme, discussions continued informally during a field lunch in nature.<\/p>\n