Spine Research Foundation, India

The Foundation

Established in Kolkata, the major metropolis of eastern India, the Spine Research Foundation is a non-profit organization, made up of eminent physicians and surgeons with the primary focus on research in spine surgery and bringing spine surgery within the reach of poor patients.

The Foundation also awards clinical fellowship with research responsibilities to orthopaedic / neurosurgeons interest in spine surgery.

It also aims to educate common man about treatment and prevention options of spine ailments like scoliosis and kyphosis.

 

The Spine Research Foundation aims . . .

• To establish a platform for helping poor patients (financially and/or otherwise) who cannot afford spinal surgeries in spite of desperately needing them, especially when the estimated cost of the surgery is high and the surgery is complicated and is of long duration.
• To provide training to orthopedic and neurosurgeons who wish to update or learn various aspects of spine surgery.
• To encourage clinical and basic science research as is appropriate.
• To conduct courses, seminars and workshops to spread the knowledge and awareness of spine surgery among doctors or specialists.
• To increase public awareness of various aspects of spinal problems affecting the society at large.

 

 

Spine Research Foundation activities in the year
2013-14, 2014-15, 2015-16

 

Spine Research Foundation has been actively involved for the last 3 years in various teaching, training, educational and benevolent activities.

Spine Research Foundation has been funding the fellowship stipend of the ASSI (Association of Spine Surgeon of India) spine fellows. Dr K S K Chaitnya who selected after a tough competitive examination for two years (2013 to 2014 and 2014 to 2015). He actively trained in surgical procedure in spine as well as non – surgical assessment of the spine patient. He successfully completed his fellowship in October 2015.Currently Spine Research Foundation has been funding the stipend for two spine trainees:- Dr Sathik Babu and Dr Subhodip Mondal. They are actively involved in preoperative assessment of patients admitted for surgery, assisting/performing under supervision all spine surgeries and in the postoperative care of such patients at our hospital.

Spine Research Foundation has received funds from foreign medical institutions (AOSpine, IASA) time to time for its various research projects.

 

Spine Research Foundation has successfully organized a seminar on Neural Monitoring in spinal deformity. There was a live telecast of a difficult spine deformity correction surgery (Scoliosis Correction) and an eminent faculty Dr Partha Sarathi Thirumala was invited. He is based in United States and is an authority on intraoperative neural monitoring in spine surgeries. His lectures and inputs were highly appreciated by the audience. The date of the seminar was 9th October 2014.

Spine Research Foundation also has been instrumental in financially supporting patients who cannot afford difficult and expensive spine surgeries since sever. Total number of patient who have been supported by the foundation during these years is about 30. Please find details below:

 

Year	Number of patient operated through SRF	Total expenditure incurred (Rs)
2012 -2013	12	404221/-
2013-2014	11	585299/-
2014-2015	7	244916/-

 

The range of surgeries include scoliosis correction, kyphosis correction, growing rod application, post tubercular deformities and surgeries in thoracic insufficiency syndrome in a paralytic child. All these patients are from a very poor socio-economic status and could not afford the complex surgery which was required. More than 2/3 expenses of the surgeries were sponsored by Spine Research Foundation and the entire medical team of surgeons, physicians and anesthetists offered their services for free.

At the end of this year we are honored to have served the community in a satisfactory manner.