He explains, “complex osteotomies or bone cuts need to be made around the hip joint to correct the deformity.  These cuts are made in a three dimensional fashion and the methods are difficult to teach to other surgeons.  The digital models provided by Primal Pictures have allowed us to develop teaching images which can be rotated in every plane to allow better understanding of a corrective hip osteotomy.

“These osteotomies are difficult to describe or to teach using typical images or Power Point slides.  By having a 3-D video model, the surgical student can much better understand the goal of the operation.

“Primal Pictures exhibited at the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons meetings in Chicago in 2006 and San Diego in 2007.  We learned about their digital database at these conferences and contacted the company requesting use of this resource, particularly in relation to pelvic structures. Using this, we have created multiple images of the childhood pelvis and have performed corrective osteotomies, which can be exhibited in digital photographs in three dimensions.

“The images have been presented at several national and international medical conferences.  In each case, the images have been well received and have improved the educational process.  The strongest reaction of people to our images has been from orthopedic learners who have previously only seen two-dimensional Power Point images. They have found our images to be much more instructive in conceptualising the performance of corrective hip surgery.

“We have now completed the description of three common hip osteotomies and plan to proceed with the description of three additional osteotomies.  These should be completed by the end of 2008. We have appreciated the digital database provided by Primal Pictures and look forward to working with them in the future.”

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