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Long years of experience in nursing
"The roots of ORTON Invalid Foundation run deep in the Finnish soil". The atmosphere that Ella Eronen, the elocutionist, created by reciting "Our Land" at the ice-bandy match between Finland and Sweden in Stockholm in 1940 is still fresh in the minds of the older generations. However, few are aware of the fact that the profits of the fund-raising organised in connection with this event, nearly eight million marks, were used to establish the Invalid Foundation.
This fund-raising is a fine symbol of the atmosphere and emotions that governed Finland in the difficult situation after the Winter War and in the first days of the Invalid Foundation. One should keep in mind that the current municipal hospital system was built much later. The Invalid Foundation has been actively involved in the development of this system from the start.
Long years of experience are reflected in modern nursing
A strong spirit of collaboration soon came to exist between all professional groups at the Invalid Foundation. The strategy of teamwork was implemented early on, for instance in vocational guidance and other decisions concerning the patient’s future. Professor Fabian Langenskiöld was one of the greatest influences on the Invalid Foundation, and his handiwork is still visible in the Invalid Foundation’s activities and in the work that Finnish orthopaedists carry out today. Anne-Marie Baumgartner, Head Nurse in Professor Langenskiöld’s time, created a solid foundation for modern orthopaedic nursing. As she saw it, one of the basic principles of orthopaedic nursing is to have an empathetic approach that respects both the patient and the treatment staff while also taking facts into account.
Fabian Langenskiöld adopted the principle of holistic rehabilitation. One should first treat the disease or injury by orthopaedic means. Once this has been done, the disability should be minimised with prostheses and medical aids. The final step is to educate the patient and help him become a socially acceptable and productive individual. The World Health Organisation has also approved this principle, but at a much later date.
Professor Fabian Langenskiöld was one of the most important developers of the Invalid Foundation’s activities. He was the Medical Director of the hospital in 1943-1956.
Rural tours and health checks
Those in need of surgery or medical aids were later invited to come to the hospital for treatment. The elderly have had many memorable tales to tell about these trips. This was long before the mobile clinics of today. It is no wonder that ORTON Orthopaedic Hospital has friends in every corner of Finland.
From pioneering treatment methods to standard treatment
Research gave rise to new treatment methods
From early on, the Invalid Foundation has placed special emphasis on research. The first publications and doctoral dissertations were written in the 1940s and in the early 1950s. A renewed impetus for research followed soon after.
The Invalid Foundation has always strived to stay at the forefront of development. Docent Castor Lindqvist initiated the neurophysiological work of the Invalid Foundation as early as the 1950s when the Invalid Foundation was able to procure an EMG device. Records of these events and many case report films can be found in the hospital archives. In those days, hip dislocations in children were very common because early diagnostics was still beyond doctors’ skills. Traction therapy was initiated to improve the treatment results, and the improvements were truly dramatic. However, as this condition can be diagnosed at an early stage nowadays, it is not a major health concern any more.
The Invalid Foundation was also the first to start offering surgical treatment for scoliosis in Finland. Professor Lars-Erik Laurent remains an internationally recognised pioneer in the research and treatment of dislocated spinal vertebrae although the research results produced by the current research team that came after him have also attracted much interest. Docent Veijo Ritsilä’s periosteum research has also led to the development of surgical applications. This line of research is expected to maintain its significance in the treatment of patients.
Professor Anders Langenskiöld was both a researcher and a clinician, and his internationally unique approach has played a central role in most new observations and in the decisions prompted by these observations. His research work has touched on practically every area of orthopaedic surgery and rehabilitation, but he was particularly interested in studying bone growth and development as well as the prevention of growth disorders. Surgical correction of partial growth plate closures is the most important result of Professor Langenskiöld’s work. The author of this article laid the experimental groundwork for the development of this internationally recognised and approved "Langenskiöld procedure".
Endoprosthetic surgery is headed towards highly specific procedures
I started performing arthroscopies of the knee joint at the Invalid Foundation in 1976. At first, people wondered where the resources for such elitist procedures would be found. However, this method became very popular very quickly. Today, it is one of the most common surgical procedures performed in Finland. The Head of the unit responsible for performing arthroscopies in ORTON Orthopaedic Hospital is currently Dr. Jerker Sandelin. I also started treating limb length discrepancies in 1977, and the limb lengthening technique I used was still a brand new discovery in those days. This technique is currently a fully approved treatment method. Experimental research results on this method have also been presented.
Modern computer-assisted orthopaedic surgery (CAOS) has been established as a part of safe back surgery in just 5 years under Docent Dietrich Schlenzka. Those in need of our services will very probably demand that such treatment methods be made available to the general public. Lately, Docent Mikko Poussa has had the main responsibility for other back surgeries performed on adult patients. The development of modern diagnostic examination methods in particular has brought changes to these procedures. The hospital’s Department of Radiology, led by Docent Kaj Tallroth, has continued on the path set by Docent Walter Edgren.
When one looks at the 60-year history of the Invalid Foundation, one sees a clear continuum. The principles the Invalid Foundation’s work is based on have been passed on to new generations, meaning that "the true treatment spirit" of the Invalid Foundation’s early years has been transformed into the system of rehabilitation services we know today. The spirit of the Invalid Foundation is still the same, and developing it further is now our responsibility.
Written by Kalevi Österman, Docent