Sign Fracture Care International

BUILD ORTHOPAEDIC CAPACITY IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES BY PROVIDING ORTHOPAEDIC TRAINING AND IMPLANTS.

WE PROVIDE ACCESS TO ORTHOPAEDIC TRAINING AND EDUCATION TO SURGEONS IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES VIA FIVE PRIMARY CHANNELS:1. ONSITE VISITS BY LOCAL SURGEONS AND NORTH AMERICAN AND EUROPEAN SURGEONS. 2. EMAIL COMMUNICATIONS WITH SIGN HEADQUARTERS.3. DISCUSSION TOPICS AND EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES POSTED ON OUR WEBSITE, THE HUB.4. REVIEW OF CASES SUBMITTED TO THE SIGN SURGICAL DATABASE BY ORTHOPAEDIC SURGEONS ON THE SIGN BOARD. 5. REGIONAL SIGN AND TRAUMA CONFERENCES, AS WELL AS THE ANNUAL INTERNATIONAL ORTHOPAEDIC CONFERENCE HELD AT SIGN HEADQUARTERS.THE OBJECTIVES FOR ALL MODES OF TRAINING ARE: 1) ENSURE SIGN SURGEONS UNDERSTAND THE SURGICAL TECHNIQUE FOR THE SIGN PRODUCTS IN THEIR HOSPITAL; 2) PROVIDE TRAINING ON CURRENT AND RELEVANT ORTHOPAEDIC PRINCIPLES; AND, 3) PROVIDE TRAINING IN ORTHOPAEDIC AND TRAUMA PROCEDURES FOR INJURIES SUCH AS OPEN WOUNDS, LIMB DEFORMITY, PEDIATRIC, AND PELVIC.EXPAND TRAINING AND EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES:DUE TO THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC, WE WERE UNABLE TO HOLD THE IN-PERSON SIGN CONFERENCE IN 2021; HOWEVER, IN 2020, IN PARTNERSHIP WITH IGOT, WE LAUNCHED THE SUCCESSFUL SIGN TRAUMA SESSIONS WEBINAR SERIES. THESE WEBINARS ARE HELD MONTHLY VIA ZOOM AND RECORDED FOR THOSE SURGEONS WHO CANNOT ATTEND LIVE. NEARLY EVERY SESSION INCLUDES FACULTY WHO ARE SIGN SURGEONS. THE TRAUMA SESSIONS GIVE SIGN SURGEONS A CHANCE TO SHARE THEIR KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERTISE WITH THEIR COLLEAGUES AND DISCUSS RELEVANT TOPICS IN TRAUMA CARE SUCH AS HUMERUS FRACTURES, PEDIATRIC FRACTURES, SOFT TISSUE WOUND COVERAGE, AND PELVIC FRACTURES. IN 2021, WE HELD 9 WEBINARS WHICH REACHED MORE THAN 3000 SIGN SURGEONS. THE HUB, SIGN'S WEBSITE FOR EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES FOR SURGEONS, CONTAINS VIDEOS, ARTICLES, DISCUSSIONS, AND MORE TO PROVIDE ONGOING LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES FOR SURGEONS ACROSS THE GLOBE. IN 2021, THE HUB RECEIVED AN UPDATE, WHICH FEATURED A NEW LOOK AND FEEL AND TWO NEW MAJOR COMPONENTS- ELEARNING AND KNOWLEDGE PAGES. THE SIGN IT DEPARTMENT CONTINUES TO MAKE IMPROVEMENTS TO THE SIGN SURGICAL DATABASE WEBSITE, WHICH IS THE BACKBONE OF REPORTING AND RESEARCHING SURGICAL CASES. THE UPGRADES ALLOWED OUR TEAM TO ASK QUESTIONS ONLY OF CERTAIN PROGRAMS, GIVING US THE ABILITY TO CREATE LIMITED ENROLLMENT STUDIES, AND IMPROVED SITE SECURITY.WE CONTINUE TO PARTNER WITH BLACK LION HOSPITAL, IN ADDIS ABABA, ETHIOPIA ON THE FIRST EAST AFRICAN PELVIC FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM. IN 2021, THEY TRAINED 2 ETHIOPIAN FELLOWS IN ADDITION TO A TANZANIAN SURGEON WHO WAS THEN ABLE TO RETURN HOME AND PUT HIS NEW SKILLS INTO PRACTICE IN HIS LOCAL COMMUNITY.OUR TRAVELING SET PROGRAM MODEL WAS A CONTINUED SUCCESS IN ETHIOPIA AND TANZANIA. IN THIS MODEL, THE MENTOR SURGEON MANAGING THE SET IDENTIFIES A HOSPITAL THEY BELIEVE HAS THE POTENTIAL TO SERVE MANY PATIENTS. THE MENTOR SURGEON THEN TRAVELS TO THE HOSPITAL AND TRAINS THE SURGEONS IN THE SIGN TECHNIQUE AND DATABASE REPORTING. AFTER THE TRAINING IS COMPLETED, THE SET IS STATIONED AT THE HOSPITAL FOR THREE MONTHS. IF THE HOSPITAL REPORTS AT LEAST 10 CASES WITHIN THE THREE-MONTH PERIOD, THEY ARE ELIGIBLE TO APPLY TO START THEIR OWN SIGN PROGRAM. IN 2021, IN ETHIOPIA, THERE WERE FOUR SIGN PROGRAMS STARTED USING THE TEACHING SET MODEL. IN TANZANIA, THERE WERE TWO SIGN PROGRAMS STARTED.ALSO IN 2021, WE PARTNERED WITH A CANADIAN-BASED COMPANY, PRECISIONOS TECHNOLOGY, TO CREATE A VIRTUAL REALITY SURGICAL TRAINING MODULE FOR SIGN SURGEONS. THE MODULE IS LOADED ONTO AN OCULUS HEADSET WHICH IS WORN BY THE TRAINEE. THE HEADSET SHOWS THE SURGEON A VIRTUAL OR, COMPLETE WITH A FRACTURE PATIENT. HAND-HELD SENSORS ARE USED TO MANIPULATE THE VIRTUAL INSTRUMENTS AND "PERFORM" THE SIGN SURGERY. WE SHIPPED 3 OF THESE OCULUS HEADSETS TO SIGN PROGRAMS IN RWANDA, CAMBODIA, AND MALAWI. OUR MENTOR SURGEON IN RWANDA HAD THIS TO SAY: YES! ALL SURGEONS INVOLVED IN USE OF SIGN IMPLANTS HAD AT LEAST A SESSION ON HOW TO USE OCULUS AND VIRTUAL PRACTICAL SESSION. RESIDENTS ROTATING IN ORTHOPEDICS BENEFITED MUCH FROM VIRTUAL PRACTICES BEFORE THEY START TO WORK ON PATIENTS. THE HEADSET IS AVAILED TO THEM FOR REGULAR EXERCISE. WE HAVE FOUND IT VERY EFFECTIVE.

DISTRIBUTE APPROPRIATE ORTHOPAEDIC TECHNOLOGY:THE SIGN IM NAIL AND INTERLOCKING SCREW SYSTEM IS DESIGNED FOR USE IN HOSPITALS IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES WHERE C-ARMS AND RELIABLE POWER ARE NOT AVAILABLE. SIGN ENGINEERS CONTINUALLY DEVELOP NEW ORTHOPAEDIC INSTRUMENTS AND IMPLANTS IN RESPONSE TO THE NEEDS DESCRIBED BY THE LOCAL SURGEONS. IN 2021, SIGN ENGINEERS DEVELOPED ONE NEW PRODUCT AND MADE DESIGN IMPROVEMENTS TO ONE INSTRUMENT TO ASSIST IN A VARIETY OF ORTHOPAEDIC SURGERIES. THE NEW PRODUCT WAS AN L-HANDLE SCREW EXTRACTOR, DESIGNED TO REMOVE SHOULDER CAP SCREWS FROM THE L-HANDLE WHEN BROKEN OFF INSIDE. AND THE SHOULDER CAP SCREW WAS RE-DESIGNED TO INCREASE USAGE AND MINIMIZE THE ABILITY FOR OPERATING STAFF TO OVER TORQUE THE SCREW, WHICH CAN LEAD TO BREAKAGE.WE SUPPLY NEW PROGRAMS WITH THE SIGN IM NAIL SYSTEM, WHICH SURGEONS USE TO REPAIR SEVERE FRACTURES IN THE FEMUR, TIBIA, AND HUMERUS. ONCE A PROGRAM HAS DEMONSTRATED ITS ABILITY TO REPORT THEIR CASES, INCLUDING ADEQUATE FOLLOW-UP THAT CONFIRMS THEIR RESULTS COMPLY WITH OUR EXPECTATIONS, THEY BECOME ELIGIBLE TO RECEIVE ADDITIONAL SIGN PRODUCTS, AS WELL AS IN-KIND DONATIONS RECEIVED FROM FOR-PROFIT ORTHOPAEDIC IMPLANT COMPANIES.IN 2021, WE DISTRIBUTED 34,283 SIGN NAILS TO 54 COUNTRIES. OUR AIM IS TO ENABLE THE POOR TO GAIN ACCESS TO AFFORDABLE ORTHOPAEDIC SURGERY, WHICH MEANS THAT THE MAJORITY OF OUR IMPLANTS ARE DONATED FREE OF CHARGE TO THE PATIENT.WE STARTED 36 NEW SIGN PROGRAMS IN 2021. THE BREAKDOWN WAS AS FOLLOWS: AFRICA: 30 PROGRAMS ASIA: 5 PROGRAMS CARIBBEAN: 1 PROGRAMAS OF DECEMBER 31, 2021, THE WORLD BANK INCOME CLASSIFICATIONS BY GNI FOR THE COUNTRIES WITH NEW SIGN PROGRAMS WERE AS FOLLOWS: LOW INCOME 58%, LOWER MIDDLE INCOME 33%, AND UPPER MIDDLE INCOME 3%. (6% ARE TERRITORIES NOT RECOGNIZED BY THE WORLD BANK.)DISASTER AND CONFLICT RESPONSE:WE BELIEVE IN EQUALITY OF FRACTURE CARE FOR ALL, REGARDLESS OF GENDER, RELIGION, POLITICAL AFFILIATION, OR ANY OTHER IDENTITY. THE CONFLICT IN NORTHERN ETHIOPIA CONTINUED THROUGHOUT 2021, RESULTING IN THOUSANDS OF DEATHS AND INJURIES. SIGN PROVIDED ADDITIONAL SHIPMENTS OF SIGN INSTRUMENTS AND IMPLANTS TO SIGN SURGEONS IN AND AROUND TIGRAY, WHO WERE PROVIDING CARE FOR PATIENTS IN THE REGION. IN 2021, WE SENT ALMOST 4,300 SIGN NAILS TO ETHIOPIAN SIGN PROGRAMS TO TREAT THOSE INJURED IN THE CONFLICT. IN ADDITION TO SIGN NAILS, WE PROVIDED 29 EXTERNAL FIXATOR SETS AND 236 FX PLATES. FOLLOWING THE HAITI EARTHQUAKE, WE SENT OVER 150 NAILS TO HAITIAN SIGN SURGEONS. OUR LOCAL PARTNERS ARE EXPERT SURGEONS AND KNOW THE NEEDS OF THE COMMUNITY BETTER THAN WE CAN FROM THE UNITED STATES, SO WE EMPOWER THEM TO RESPOND TO NEEDS AS THEY ARISE. WE ALSO STARTED A NEW SIGN PROGRAM NEAR THE EARTHQUAKE EPICENTER, TO BOTH RESPOND TO THE IMMEDIATE NEED AND TO CONTINUE SERVING THE COMMUNITY IN THE LONG TERM.SINCE THE TRANSFER OF POWER TO THE TALIBAN IN AFGHANISTAN, TRAVEL IN AND OUT OF THE COUNTRY HAS YET TO NORMALIZE, WHICH HAS GREATLY AFFECTED OUR ABILITY TO SEND NAILS TO THE LOCAL SIGN PROGRAMS. IN LATE NOVEMBER 2021, WE WERE ABLE TO SEND A SHIPMENT VIA AN AIR FREIGHT COMPANY. NOW THAT WE HAVE FOUND A RELIABLE SHIPPING ROUTE INTO AFGHANISTAN, WE WILL CONTINUE TO SUPPLY OUR SIGN SURGEONS WITH THE IMPLANTS THEY NEED TO TREAT THE INJURED POOR.