Two veterinary college surgeons open new doors in South Korea through animal hip replacement training
Clair Park and Otto Lanz of the Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine conducted first-of-their-kind workshops at two universities in South Korea.
Two Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine surgeons guided first-of-their-kind training sessions at two South Korean universities, expanding international collaboration in veterinary joint replacement surgery.
“It gives Virginia Tech a global presence and demonstrates the depth of expertise we have in joint replacement surgery,” said Otto Lanz, professor of small animal surgery.
Lanz and Clair Park, clinical assistant professor of small animal surgery, traveled to South Korea this spring to conduct advanced workshops on total hip replacement in dogs and cats at Seoul National University and Kangwon National University, the first time such training had been conducted in South Korea.
Lanz is one of 20 founding fellows in joint replacement surgery recognized by the American College of Veterinary Surgeons. Park is completing advanced training as a Joint Replacement Fellow at the veterinary college, which is home to one of only seven joint replacement fellowship programs in the United States.
The workshops created opportunities for continued collaboration. Representatives of the South Korean universities expressed interest in potentially sending graduate students to Virginia Tech for additional training and collaborative research related to hip replacement surgery.
Lanz is internationally recognized for his experience with mini total hip replacement, which is designed for cats and very small dogs. Park is developing similar subspecialty expertise through her fellowship training and her direct involvement in joint replacement cases.
“Total hip replacement is challenging because the surgeon must have an excellent understanding of anatomy and already be proficient in conventional orthopedic procedures,” Park said. “Being off by only a few degrees can affect implant positioning, patient function, and the overall outcome. The surgeon must also understand anesthesia, diagnostic imaging, surgical planning, and postoperative care.”
Park's fellowship requires a substantial commitment to clinical training, surgical preparation, case management, imaging assessment, and the development of advanced technical skills. Park’s participation in the South Korean workshops represented an important part of that professional development and allowed her to contribute as both a surgeon and educator.
Park described the workshops as demanding but highly successful. The surgeons combined lectures, surgical planning, and hands-on instruction to help participants better understand patient selection, implant positioning, surgical technique, and the prevention of complications.
“The learning curve is steep,” Park said. “In human medicine, surgeons may require 40 to 50 cases before they feel comfortable performing the procedure, and that involves the human hip. The challenge becomes even greater when we perform mini total hip replacements in very small dogs and cats.”
The smallest patient on which Lanz has performed a total hip replacement weighed only 1.9 kilograms, or approximately 4.2 pounds. In patients of that size, the bones are extremely delicate, and even a small technical error can result in a serious complication.
Mini total hip replacement is particularly relevant in East Asia, where small and toy-breed dogs are common companion animals. Lanz previously spent six months in Japan collaborating with veterinary surgeons and helping advance the use of mini total hip replacement procedures.
Park, a native of South Korea, helped organize the courses, communicate with the participating institutions, and teach technically demanding portions of the program in Korean.
“Clair was instrumental in making these workshops possible, and she deserves tremendous credit,” Lanz said. “She is highly respected in South Korea for her orthopedic expertise. Total hip replacement involves many intricate steps and technical nuances, and her ability to explain those concepts in Korean was invaluable. She was not simply translating — she was teaching the procedure as an orthopedic surgeon and Joint Replacement Fellow.”
