Thursday, January 11 7:00 AM
17th Annual Spine Symposium Register
Date/Time: January 11, 2024, 7:00 AM
The 17th Annual Spine Symposium will be held on January 11, 2024. A welcome dinner for attendees will be held on January 10, 2024. We are honored to host Dr. Ilkka Helenius as our visiting professor.
Biography
Professor Ilkka Helenius, M.D., Ph.D. is the Professor and Academic Chairman at the Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Hospital since 2020.
Since 2016 he has served as the first Professor of Paediatric Orthopaedics and Traumatology in Finland at the University of Turku and Turku University Hospital.
He leads the multicenter studies of the Finnish Pediatric Orthopedic Study Group which focuses on scoliosis surgery, musculoskeletal anomalies and tumors, and treatment of pediatric fractures. Professor Helenius has pioneered new techniques for scoliosis surgery in Finland and Nordic Countries such as pedicle screw technique, magnetically controlled growing rods, and tethering for idiopathic scoliosis. His research has lead to improved practices in the management of pediatric spinal deformities in terms of blood saving, pain management, and fusion levels. Professor Helenius has frequently been an invited speaker into the international meetings (e.g. EPOS, IMAST, SRS, Eurospine), and to perform early onset scoliosis surgery in the Northern Europe. In 2017, he worked as a visiting professor and consultant orthopaedic spine surgeon (‘overlaege’) at the University of Copenhagen and Spine Unit, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark.
Areas of expertise
Spine Surgery; Pediatric Orthopaedics and Growing Spine; Musculoskeletal tumors
Teaching
Professor Helenius is responsible for teaching of orthopaedics and traumatology in the medical curriculum at the University of Helsinki and for orthopaedic subspecialities at the Helsinki University Hospital.
Research
Professor Helenius started his orthopaedic research career at the Invalid Foundation, Orton Orthopaedic Hospital, in Helsinki, Finland in 1999. He worked as a research fellow at the Pediatric Spine Study Group lead by Professor Dietrich Schlenzka. The long-term studies on surgical outcomes of adolescent idiopathic scoliosis and high-grade spondylolisthesis are often cited in the medical literature. His clinical and research career continued at the Helsinki Children's Hospital in the Department of Pediatric Surgery and Pediatric Orthopedics since 2002 under the supervision of Docents Jari Peltonen and Pentti Kallio. During this time Professor Helenius focused on e.g. orthopedic complications in children receiving solid organ transplantation. His research showed that risk of fractures in this patient population is significant and this resulted into systematic medical treatment. In 2007 he established the Finnish Paediatric Orthopaedic Study Group and has been the Leader since then. Currently, the study group is investigating blood saving protocols, use of subfascial drain after posterior spinal fusion of AIS, postoperative pain management in scoliosis surgery (randomized clinical trials), outcomes of treated and untreated pediatric spinal deformities, and risk factors for musculoskeletal anomalies. The scientific activity of Professor Helenius has resulted into over 200 scientific articles, 17 supervised Ph.D.'s, Textbook of Orthopaedic Surgery, and improved care practices in the orthopaedic surgery.
Lodging
Marriott Dallas Uptown
Dr. Ilkka Helenius
BiographyProfessor Ilkka Helenius, M.D., Ph.D. is the Professor and Academic Chairman at the Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Hospital since 2020.
Since 2016 he has served as the first Professor of Paediatric Orthopaedics and Traumatology in Finland at the University of Turku and Turku University Hospital.
He leads the multicenter studies of the Finnish Pediatric Orthopedic Study Group which focuses on scoliosis surgery, musculoskeletal anomalies and tumors, and treatment of pediatric fractures. Professor Helenius has pioneered new techniques for scoliosis surgery in Finland and Nordic Countries such as pedicle screw technique, magnetically controlled growing rods, and tethering for idiopathic scoliosis. His research has lead to improved practices in the management of pediatric spinal deformities in terms of blood saving, pain management, and fusion levels. Professor Helenius has frequently been an invited speaker into the international meetings (e.g. EPOS, IMAST, SRS, Eurospine), and to perform early onset scoliosis surgery in the Northern Europe. In 2017, he worked as a visiting professor and consultant orthopaedic spine surgeon (‘overlaege’) at the University of Copenhagen and Spine Unit, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark.
Areas of expertise
Spine Surgery; Pediatric Orthopaedics and Growing Spine; Musculoskeletal tumors
Teaching
Professor Helenius is responsible for teaching of orthopaedics and traumatology in the medical curriculum at the University of Helsinki and for orthopaedic subspecialities at the Helsinki University Hospital.
Research
Professor Helenius started his orthopaedic research career at the Invalid Foundation, Orton Orthopaedic Hospital, in Helsinki, Finland in 1999. He worked as a research fellow at the Pediatric Spine Study Group lead by Professor Dietrich Schlenzka. The long-term studies on surgical outcomes of adolescent idiopathic scoliosis and high-grade spondylolisthesis are often cited in the medical literature. His clinical and research career continued at the Helsinki Children's Hospital in the Department of Pediatric Surgery and Pediatric Orthopedics since 2002 under the supervision of Docents Jari Peltonen and Pentti Kallio. During this time Professor Helenius focused on e.g. orthopedic complications in children receiving solid organ transplantation. His research showed that risk of fractures in this patient population is significant and this resulted into systematic medical treatment. In 2007 he established the Finnish Paediatric Orthopaedic Study Group and has been the Leader since then. Currently, the study group is investigating blood saving protocols, use of subfascial drain after posterior spinal fusion of AIS, postoperative pain management in scoliosis surgery (randomized clinical trials), outcomes of treated and untreated pediatric spinal deformities, and risk factors for musculoskeletal anomalies. The scientific activity of Professor Helenius has resulted into over 200 scientific articles, 17 supervised Ph.D.'s, Textbook of Orthopaedic Surgery, and improved care practices in the orthopaedic surgery.
Lodging
Marriott Dallas Uptown
Location:
Scottish Rite for Children
2222 Welborn Street
Dallas, TX 75219