Combining global collaboration with medical innovation

Last month, we travelled to the African continent to bring advanced orthopedic care to children in need. An international medical team collaborated with local surgeons on training and education at Cure International Clinic in the village of Kiabe, Kenya. As a result, 50 children and adolescents suffering from severe deformities affecting their ability to stand and walk were provided with surgical treatment using Activa biopolymer implants donated by Bioretec. Thanks to the absorbable nature of our Activa implants, children will avoid a secondary removal surgery and its potential associated complications, and can immediately start the healing process, taking their first pain-free steps only a few weeks post-surgery.

“These foot and ankle operations will help restore basic functions and dramatically improve their quality of life,” the operating doctor Gil Ganuth summarizes. Beyond the operating rooms, the mission was a powerful exchange of knowledge. Local surgeons and medical staff were trained in less invasive surgery techniques, ensuring long-term benefits for the community even after the visiting team’s departure.

Dr Ganuth expresses, “My aim is to support building a foundation for sustainable care by mentoring local teams so they can independently treat many more patients in the future.”

Safer and faster healing

Our counterpart in Kenya, Dr Federico Sibona, Cure’s Head Pediatric Orthopedic Surgeon in Kiabe, was pleased with the benefits of the collaboration for both the healthcare professionals and their patients. Traditionally at the Cure International Clinic, bone fractures or orthopedic deformities have been corrected with the use of stainless-steel wires. These wires are able to stabilize bone, but often require removal surgery after only a few weeks. The use of Bioretec’s Activa™ implants lower the risk of infection and support faster, safer healing.

“The visit was beneficial for our staff who improved their surgical technique with the education and training received. With Activa™ implants there is no need for a removal surgery, making follow-up for patients much safer and less stressful, both physically and mentally,” Dr Sibona explains.

Bioretec VP of OUS Sales, Rami Ojala,  joined the trip to provide education to local medical professionals on the use of Activa™ implants.

“Activa implants have been clinically tested for over 20 years, used in more than 50 countries and in over hundreds of thousands of cases, resulting in a lot of knowledge and experience that we can share. The material used in our Activa products is an absorbable, self-reinforced biopolymer. Working with medical professionals to provide education and training on how this material functions is an important part of the process. The surgical technique for implanting the product itself is however quite similar to current less invasive techniques,” Rami explains.

Foundation for sustainable care

Beyond the operating rooms, the mission was a powerful exchange of knowledge. Local surgeons and medical staff were trained in less invasive surgery techniques, ensuring long-term benefits for the community even after the visiting team’s departure.

“I am helping build a foundation for sustainable care: mentoring local teams so they can independently treat many more patients in the future”, Dr Gil Ganuth explains.

Cure’s ability to treat orthopedic pediatric deformity surgeries is unique in Kenya. With these new techniques, time and resources can be used more efficiently in the operating room, providing an opportunity to treat more patients.

In a country where access to surgical facilities is limited and medical resources are often stretched thin, absorbable implants offer a critical advantage. Many families live hours away from the nearest hospital or surgical care facility,  and cannot afford the cost of return visits, making a second operation both impractical and financially out of reach. By avoiding the potential need for these removal surgeries upfront, the medical team reduces strain on the healthcare systemwhilst easing the financial and emotional burden on patients and their families.

“For the children who received treatment in Kiabe, it’s not just about physical recovery. It’s about restoring dignity, confidence, and hope for a more mobile, independent future. It was amazing to witness the impact our innovation has on the lives of patients and their familes,” Mr. Rami Ojala concludes.

Further inquiries: info@bioretec.com

Read more about Activa products: https://activa.bioretec.com/