Author: des_soares

The PIOA AGM was held on 8 March 2026.

You can watch the AGM here

President;s report

Director of Training report

AGM 2026 Minutes

The Australian Orthopaedic Association Annual Scientific Meeeting 2025 (AOA ASM 2025) is being held in Hobart, Tasmania.

This is the first hyear where the President of PIOA has been invited as an official guest of the AOA President. We look forward to many more years of building strong relationships between PIOA and the AOA family.

Dr. Andreas Loefler from Sydney, Dr David Bartle and Dr Richard Lander from New Zealand were independent external examiners. Dr Henao Asa from PNG and Dr Nik Freiderich from Switzerland were independent observers of the exam process.

Three of the five candidates were successful in the final exit exam. Our congratulations to Dr. Raymond Saulep from Kundiawa, Dr Thomas Kiele from Port Moresby and Dr Haynes Rasin from Buka in Bougainville, all from PNG as they begin their career as orthopaedic surgeons.

The Tumour lectures were taught by Dr Claudia di Bella from Melbourne, assisted by Dr Des Soares from Brisbane, Australia. In this module, the students were taught a systematic approach to diagnosis and management of orthopaedic oncology. This included clinical history taking and a thorough clinical examination with emphasis on a systematic approach to the management of benign and malignant bone and soft tissue tumours. In addition, there were focussed lectures and practicals on the principles of biopsy, managing pathological fracture and post tumour reconstruction.

Overall, the 20-day module was intense, and it was obvious the students were stimulated to learn. The students are now already reading ahead to prepare for the next module on the Knee and Foot and ankle to be held in Apia, Samoa commencing on 16 March 2026.

The infection lectures were delivered by Dr. Keat Choong, Dr Andrej Trampuz and Dr Nora Renz from Brisbane, Australia. The professional topics were delivered by Dr. Des Soares from Brisbane. Rheumatology was taught by Dr. Tracy Kain from Tauranga, New Zealand.

Orthopaedic infection is a major issue in the Pacific with osteomyelitis and septic arthritis causing significant disability. Diagnosis and management of orthopaedic infection including periprosthetic infection and discussion of student case studies was a highlight.

Gout is extremely common and causes major illness in the Pacific. Tracey Kain taught is how to manage gout with confidence and to help patients help themselves. The infection and inflammatory conditions module was also concluded with an end of block written examination.

In the Professional topics we looked at issues like practice evaluation, audit and professional behaviour standards. Highlights included 2 multi-disciplinary workshops including other staff including surgeons, anaesthetists and nurses using modified courses for “Operating with Respect” and “Safer surgical Teams”/ These were enthusiastically received and have already led to significant improvements in communication and teamwork among theatre teams with direct implications for improved patient safety.

Teams introduce themselves , we have 2 trainees attending for the first time, Steven from Papua New Guinea and Taukoriri from republic of Kiribati. There are a total of 10 trainees attending this module, Jeffery and Orolae from the Solomons, Michael and Robert from Samoa, Paul and Manoa from Fiji, Vanua from Republic of Vanuatu, Tzun from republic of Palau, Taukoriri from Republic of Kiribati, Steven from Papua New Guinea. The lecturers are Tim Greg and Koen De Ridder from Wellington NZ , Jason Donovan from Hamilton, NZ and Reshwin Rajan from Fiji. The lectures were held at the university of fiji lecture rooms in Lautoka and ward visits to Lautoka Hospital.

Monday was spent going through introductory talks, history taking and practical on history taking, examination, septic arthritis and osteomyelitis and trauma on upper limb, the casting of a moulded cast was covered at the end of the day.

Tuesday started with ward rounds at Lautoka Hospital, we were kindly picked by hospital van at 7.30 and arrived at hospital for 2 bed ward rounds split in 2 groups. The cases were a left NOF in a 70F and right Humerus shaft fracture for consideration for ORIF.  These cases stimulate discussions along these topics in assessment and treatment options around such presentations.

We return to UNIFIJI lecture rooms for talks which include, cerebral palsy, DDH, lower limb trauma in children and limb deficiencies.

Wednesday started  with 2 bed ward rounds at the hospital, we had a 13F with delayed presentation for left septic hip and disseminated infection and left femur delayed(3 weeks) fracture. Who had a TENs and later a Plate ORIF. Talks include limb length discrepancy, growth plate disorders, Paediatric metabolic disorders, perthes and slipped upper femoral epiphysis. We conduct practicals on sufe pinning and inserting TENs on a femur.

Thursday started off with 2  bed ward rounds , a young gentleman 25M with open tib/fib and ipsilateral tibial plateau fracture. The second case is a young gentleman 27M with left pertroch fracture from a MVA. Talks with lower limb trauma in children, scoliosis/spondylolisthesis, spina bifida, osteogenesis imperfecta, clubfoot and Ponseti casting practical in the afternoon.

Friday we skip the 2 bed ward rounds to accommodate visit to Lautoka special school at 8.30am. we saw 3 cases with cerebral palsy and a case of Klinefelter’s   syndrome. We return to the lecture rooms and start on module exams. The answers for true and false questions were reviewed after the exams with the students. The day ended with group photographs.  

The Hip Module started off on Saturday 8^th March with similar structure of basics in history taking and Hip Examination on the first day. The morning started off with a handover of local team admissions and we continued to our 2 bed rounds split into 2 groups. Each group is led by a lecturer. The topics covered include hip fractures and pelvis Fractures and variety of management options.

The goals of getting early surgery for neck of femur fractures (NOFs) were stressed and the need for other teams involvement, like our anaesthetists and physicians colleagues. A literature bank was created to contribute articles that will help other teams understand approach to NOFs management. Other conditions of the hip including paediatric conditions were covered and infections of the hip.

A variety of surgical approaches to the hip and acetabulum were covered. Practical stations held mostly in the afternoon and includes clinical stations of history taking and physical hip examination, cannulated hip screw, Dynamic Hip Screws(DHS) fixation, concepts/principles of Hip replacement. (see attached timetable). The module ended on Friday 14^th and students and teachers leaving the next days.

We would like to thank the funders of the modules, South Pacific Projects, AO Alliance, Orthopacifix, Various individual students sponsor Like WHO and Australias DFAT, the lecturers that came to teach out of their own costs.

We acknowledge Dr Patrick Houasia Head of department and the local Orthopaedic team, the National Referral Hospital and Ministry of Health Solomon Islands for hosting the modules and allowing us access to facilities and patients. We Thank The NRH kitchen for providing us meals and for Pacific Casino Hotel, Millys and Rekona lodge for accommodating our students and Lecturers. We Thank Des Soares for organizing the modules, preparing equipment, the logistics to get all of us to Honiara and ensuring the modules go as planned.

Tagio Tumas

Stephen Kodovaru

The Spine module started off on Monday 3^rd Of March. The mornings start at 8am with a handover of the local team admissions and reviews and students are welcome to participate in the discussions. Then we moved to 2 Bed ward rounds on selected cases picked the previous day for a deep dive into history taking and clinical exams, which each student takes turns examining clinical signs at bed side. We then moved to the classroom to start lectures, mostly talks in the morning and practical stations in the afternoon.  

Topics covered over the week include basics of History Taking and Spine physical exams trauma cervical spine and lower spines, infections, degenerative conditions and paediatric spine conditions and their management (detail timetable attached). The practical stations include history taking scenario (Dr and Patient), students partner to carry out spine examination, dura repair exercise on water filled ballons, setting up skull traction, laminectomy and pedicle screws and posterior lumbar fusion on sawbones.

We were able to see a good number of patients with spine trauma admitted in the ward that provided an opportunity for demonstrating clinical signs. The spine module ended on Friday 8 March with an assessment exam. Because of the cyclone in Queensland, Drs Ben and Alpesh had to leave early on Thursday via Fiji and we adjusted our sessions to accommodate the change. Dr Mich and Cheung were able to continue to the end.

There was great rejoicing at the formal graduation ceremony held in Apia, Samoa on 4 April 2025. 4 PIOA students were awarded a Master of Surgery (Orthopaedics) by the National Univeersity of Samoa. This brings to 12 the total number of graduates from the PIOA programme.

Graduation video.mp4

Dr Shaun Mauiliu (2019) and Dr Areta Samuelu (2022) are previous graduates of the PIOA program and now serve on the faculty of Miedicine at the National University of Samoa teaching orthopaedics. They are also emplyed as orthopaedic surgeons at TTM Hospital Apia.

You can view the entire graduation ceremony here https://www.facebook.com/watch/live/?mibextid=wwXIfr&ref=watch_permalink&v=1026564382724927&rdid=BsSPOmzhWrlzxvRp

The PIOA upper limb module included sessions on microsurgery using loupes and microinstruments which were provided to the students to take back with them.

Here Dr. Tommy Walters from Lae in Papua New Guinea (PNG) writes “Hi Des . I used my loupes today for a Radial nerve exploration and repair (Male 50, bush knife wound left distal humerus/elbow). It was really helpful. Thank you for my loupes. Tommy.”

Sadly, PNG is rife with violence and bush knife injuries are common. Tommy’s new skills will be very useful for the people of Lae.

Middle image : Blue – proximal end. Green distal end just approx. 0.5-1mm from where it divides into Superficial and deep branches.

Right image – Repaired Radial Nerve