The Department of Orthopedics of SAHZU, founded in 1952, was the first and the largest orthopedic department in Zhejiang Province known as the “Cradle of orthopedists in Zhejiang”.

Ranking the fourth in orthopedics in east China and first in Zhejiang in the Fudan Listing of Best Chinese Hospitals in 2017, the department is the Responsible Unit of the Institute of Orthopedics of Zhejiang University, the Medical Quality Control Center of Orthopedics of Zhejiang Province (2003), and the Supporting Discipline of Medicine in Zhejiang Province (Orthopedics, 2015).

In terms of medical education, the department has a master program and a PhD degree programs, and the residency training base.

With its 352 licensed beds, the department annually serves about 370,000 outpatient visits and performs about 16,000 operations. The Department consists of divisions of joint surgery, spinal surgery, bone tumor, orthopedic trauma, hand surgery, foot and ankle and sports medicine. 123 orthopedic surgeons are now working in the department, 74% of whom have doctoral degree, over 90% have studied abroad as visiting scholars or for further education.

Dr. YE Zhaoming now serves as the Department Chair with Dr. YAN Shigui as the Honorary Chair, and Dr. CHEN Qixin, Dr. PAN Zhijun, Dr. CHEN Weishan, Dr. WU Lidong and Dr. TAO Huimin as the Vice Chair. 

Trauma Surgery
Rich experience in treating fractures of the pelvis, acetabulum, limbs and hands, especially complicated cases. Recent years, minimally invasive surgery for treating bone fractures was introduced. Techniques of open bone grafting and bone transportation for treating refractory osteomyelitis and nonunion are also used here. With our efforts, most patients keep their limbs in spite of their destructive injuries. Brachial plexus injuries, peripheral nerves injuries, severe injury of fingers and limbs can also be replanted proficiently. Our techniques and services stand at the top level domestically. 3 chief physicians in the division are committed to providing the best care for patients.

Spinal Surgery
This division is accomplished in treating various spinal diseases. Our experts have cured a large number of patients who suffered from spondylosis, scoliosis, spinal fracture and dislocation and spinal tuberculosis with the advanced theory and practice. A variety of complicated procedures have become routine operations, such as anterior cervical decompression and fixation, posterior open-door laminoplasty of cervical spine, lumbar disc neuclectomy, decompression and fusion of lumbar spinal stenosis, correction of scoliosis and kyphosis, correction of complex spinal deformity and percutaneous vertebroplasty. Until now the experts’ skills are so superb that they have made breakthrough in some previously forbidden areas. The entire spine could be accessed if necessary from the occipital bone to the sacral vertebra. Patients have been satisfied with excellent recovery and have returned to work with relatively low expenses. The Division of Spinal Surgery always holds great promise for the patients.

Joint Surgery
Experts in this division are accomplished in arthropathy, especially in complicated arthritis with deformity. The techniques include pelvic osteotomy for congenital hip dysplasia, bone grafting for Ischemic Necrosis of Femoral Head, and artificial joint replacement for end-staged arthritis. There are nearly 800 cases of artificial joint replacement of the hip, knee and shoulder per year, topping the whole nation. Also, minimally invasive surgery such as arthroscopy is commonly adopted for meniscus injury, rupture of anterior collateral ligaments and posterior collateral ligaments and mediopatellar plica syndrome.
 
Bone Tumor
The Division of Bone Tumor provides comprehensive services for patients who suffer from neoplasms of limbs, pelvic and spine. This Division has great reputation in the eastern China area and even the whole country. It is good at treating osteosarcoma using the technique of isolation perfusion with hyperthermia. Thanks to cryotherapy and neoadjuvant chemotherapy, the five-year survival rate and the limb salvage rate of patients have increased to more than 70% and more than 90%, respectively. In recent years, resection and reconstruction of pelvic malignant tumors and bone metastases has been accomplished in our division. Patient’s life quality is largely improved with the combination of chemotherapy, radiotherapy, hormone replacement and antibiotics.
 
Foot and Ankle Surgery
This Division is particularly good at surgical treatment for bunion, flatfeet and complicated equinus deformity, correction of traumatic foot and ankle deformity, reconstruction of old achilles tendon injuries.