Alvin H. Crawford, M.D., Helps Hospitals in Singapore Offer Innovative Orthopaedic Spine Surgeries
CINCINNATI -- Alvin H. Crawford, MD, director of Pediatric Orthopaedic Surgery at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center and professor of pediatrics at the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, recently traveled to Singapore to expand that country's capabilities in spinal surgery. Dr. Crawford was visiting expert of endoscopic and thorascopic spine surgeries for Singapore's Ministry of Health System's Health Manpower Development Plan.
Dr. Crawford presented innovative orthopaedic techniques and procedures through lectures and surgeries at Singapore General Hospital, the National University Hospital and K.K. Women's and Children's Hospital. During his stay, Dr. Crawford performed six video-assisted thorascopic surgeries with instrumentation on six preselected patients.
Video-assisted thorascopic surgery is an innovative technique to correct scoliosis -- a curvature of the spine. Surgery to the spine is carried out through multiple small incisions, sparing major muscles and decreasing post-operative pain and rehabilitation. The procedure has been done at only a handful of spine centers in the United States.
Dr. Crawford also performed endoscopic surgery with posterior spinal fusion and other techniques on one patient and conventional posterior spinal fusion on a child with neurological scoliosis.
The Singaporean Ministry of Health plans to offer endoscopic and thorascopic surgeries immediately at Singapore General Hospital.
Cincinnati Children's was one of the first Pediatric orthopaedic centers to use spinal and pelvic endoscopy to treat congenital and acquired deformities. Dr. Crawford's techniques focus on the development of endo-orthopaedics (the use of minimally incisional endoscopy) for the treatment of adolescent spine and hip disorders.
Dr. Crawford earned his undergraduate degree in chemistry and biochemistry at the Tennessee A and I University in 1960, with a minor in music. He earned his medical degree at the University of Tennessee College of Medicine in 1964. In 2000, Dr. Crawford was elected the Neurofibromatosis, Inc., Scholar for the year. He was also named one of the Best Doctors in America for 2000 and 2001. His publications include more than 200 articles and abstracts, six books and 52 chapters.
Contact Information
Jim Feuer (
jfeuer@chmcc.org) 513-636-4656
