Alexandre Le Guen delivers his insights on Day 2 at PCO 2026, a day full of impactful sessions, daily usable tips and tricks and passionate exchanges!
The Practical Course Orthopedics once again delivered an outstanding educational experience, bringing together orthopedic surgeons from around the world for a highly interactive and clinically relevant program. Throughout the meeting, the emphasis remained on practical knowledge, evidence-based decision making, and techniques that can be directly applied in daily clinical practice. The atmosphere was dynamic, with constant exchanges between faculty and participants, making every session engaging and valuable.
From global innovations to advanced joint-preserving techniques
One of the highlights of the congress was the Virtual Fellowship featuring Dr. Shintaro Onishi, appropriately titled “The Last Samurai.” Beyond presenting his expertise in knee osteotomy, Dr. Onishi offered fascinating insights into the organization of the Japanese healthcare system. His presentation illustrated the striking differences between Japanese and European medical practice, particularly regarding hospitalization times and postoperative patient management. The comparison encouraged participants to reflect on different healthcare models and how cultural and organizational factors influence surgical care.
The congress also featured several excellent sessions dedicated to joint-preserving surgery and conservative treatment strategies. Surgical techniques for hamstring repair, labral repair, and osteotomies were presented in great detail. These lectures were especially appreciated because they focused not only on the surgical procedures themselves but also on the numerous tips and tricks that experienced surgeons have developed over years of practice. Small technical details, patient selection, intraoperative decision-making, and postoperative management were all discussed, providing participants with practical pearls that can immediately improve clinical outcomes.
Another popular event was the Best of Congress session, which brought together highlights from major international meetings, including AAHKS, SOFCOT, and SFHG. This classic presentation format allowed expert speakers to summarize the most important scientific advances, emerging concepts, and clinical recommendations presented during these major orthopedic events. It provided an efficient overview of the latest developments while emphasizing their practical implications for everyday orthopedic practice.
Live patient assessments and strategic brand building in arthroplasty
The Live Clinics represented one of the most interactive parts of the congress. Rather than focusing solely on theory, participants had the opportunity to observe real patient examinations performed by expert clinicians. Cases of femoropatellar instability and meniscal transplantation were discussed live, allowing the audience to follow the complete clinical reasoning process—from history taking and physical examination to imaging interpretation and treatment planning. These sessions demonstrated how experienced surgeons approach complex cases and highlighted the importance of careful clinical assessment before considering surgical intervention.
A particularly inspiring lecture was delivered by Mr. Manuj Wadhwa on “How to Build a Successful Professional Brand in Arthroplasty.” The session emphasized the principles that allow surgeons to build not only a successful career but also a lasting legacy for the specialty. Mr. Wadhwa shared practical insights on leadership, mentorship, innovation, patient-centered care, and the importance of inspiring future generations of orthopedic surgeons. His remarkable experience—performing approximately 500 joint replacement procedures each month, a volume considered a world record—provided unique credibility to his advice. The lecture demonstrated that true success in arthroplasty is measured not only by surgical excellence but also by the long-term impact a surgeon leaves on colleagues, trainees, and the evolution of the field. He discussed the importance of professionalism, communication, leadership, education, and maintaining a strong reputation within both the medical community and among patients. His practical advice illustrated how excellence in surgery must be accompanied by integrity, continuous learning, and effective collaboration.
Overall, the Practical Course Orthopedics was an exceptional congress. Every session was designed with clinical applicability in mind, making the entire program remarkably practical and immediately relevant to daily orthopedic practice. Participants left with countless new ideas, surgical tips, technical tricks, and evidence-based recommendations that can enhance patient care from the very next day in the operating room or outpatient clinic.
The quality of the faculty, the diversity of the topics, and the interactive format made this edition particularly successful. It was an inspiring meeting that combined scientific excellence with real-world practicality, creating an outstanding learning environment for orthopedic surgeons at every stage of their careers.
We would like to congratulate the organizers on another excellent edition and sincerely thank all the speakers for sharing their expertise and experience. We are already looking forward to returning for the next Practical Course Orthopedics.
