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Orthopaedic Surgery and Spinal Surgery

The Department of Orthopaedic Surgery and Spinal Surgery treats disease and trauma to the motor organs. The Department of Orthopaedic Surgery of the University of Tokyo Hospital, the first department specializing in orthopedic surgery in Japan, has been playing a leading role in orthopedic surgery in the nation.
Medical services
Approximately 25 full-time specialists certified by the Japanese Orthopaedic Association provide cutting-edge treatment in their specialized fields. The average number of surgeries performed annually is approximately 1,000 and is increasing every year.
Treatment policy and specialties
A treatment strategy for each patient is determined in a comprehensive manner after extensive discussion by a group of specialists in the pertinent field, with the patient’s wishes taken into consideration. We specialize in spinal surgeries (atlantoaxial fixation, deformity correction, etc.) and artificial joint replacement using a navigation system, microsurgery, arthroscopic surgery, spinal endoscopy, and radical resection and chemotherapy for malignant osteochondroma.
Target diseases

Cervical spondylosis myelopathy. Ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament, atlantoaxial subluxation, lumbar spinal stenosis, lumbar spondylolisthesis, disk herniation, rheumatoid arthritis, hip osteoarthritis, acetabular dysplasia, knee osteoarthritis, knee cruciate ligament damage, meniscal tear, bone tumor, soft tissue neoplasm, hand surgery, short extremities, etc.
Advanced treatments/ Specialized treatments
Surgery using a computer navigation system
Our hospital adopted this safe and accurate computer-guided surgery technique earlier than any other hospital, and we have already performed many surgeries using this technique.
Surgical planning using three-dimensional reconstruction imaging
A threedimensional bone structure model is generated from pre-operative images in the case of severe deformity.
Perioperative CT scanning
A CT scanner is used to monitor surgical procedures perioperatively.
Bone strength measurement using finite element analysis
A new assessment method for osteoporosis.
Website of the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery and Spinal Surgery of the University of Tokyo Hospital : http://www.u-tokyo-ortho.jp
Sakae Tanaka
Departments/Divisions
Orthopaedic Surgery and Spinal Surgery
Titles
M.D. , Ph.D.
Expertise/Specialties
Joint surgery, rheumatoid arthritis, osteoporosis
Research Interests
Bone and cartilage biology, arthritis
Languages
Japanese, English
Representative orthopedic surgeries performed in this department
Name of operation/treatment | Number | |
---|---|---|
Spinal surgery: | 252 | |
Cervical spine disease | 88 | |
Thoracic vertebra disease | 19 | |
Lumbar vertebrae disease | 86 | |
Scolioses and related diseases | 30 | |
Minimally invasive surgery such as endoscopic surgery (may partially overlap with the above) | 51 | |
Knee surgery: | 252 | |
Artificial knee joint (TKA + UKA) | 106 | |
Ligament reconstruction | 40 | |
Hand surgery: | 251 | |
Thumb Carpometacarpal Arthroplasty | 14 | |
Surgery for Dupuytren's contracture | 7 | |
Surgery for distal radius fracture | 27 | |
Tenorrhaphy and tendolysis | 5 | |
Tumorectomy | 5 | |
Surgery for carpal tunnel syndrome | 23 | |
Pediatric surgery | 22 | |
Hip surgery: | 132 | |
Artificial hip joint | 119 | |
Artificial hip joint (hip replacement) | 7 | |
Rotational acetabular osteotomy | 7 | |
Tumor surgery: | 90 | |
Extended resection of malignant bone and soft tissue tumors | 28 | |
Resection of benign bone and soft tissue tumors | 40 | |
Others (such as incisional biopsy) | 14 | |
Rheumatoid arthritis surgery: | 62 | |
Artificial hip joint | 8 | |
Artificial knee joint | 12 | |
Artificial elbow joint | 11 | |
Forefoot arthroplasty | 13 | |
Foot and Ankle Surgery | 48 | |
Trauma: | 183 | |
Pediatric orthopedics: | 17 | |
(2015)
Areas of expertise, treatment and examination methods
Diseases
- Cervical myelopathy or cervical spondylotic myelopathy
- Posterior longitudinal ligament ossification
- Yellow ligament ossification
- Spinal canal stenosis
- Disc herniation
- Scoliosis
- Hip osteoarthritis
- Knee osteoarthritis
- Rheumatoid arthritis
- Femoral head necrosis
- Osteoporosis
- Knee ligament injury
- Bone and soft tissue tumors
- Limb deformities
- Refractory fractures
- General trauma
- Thumb Carpometacarpal Arthroplasty
- Flexor tendon injury
- Hallux valgus
Treatment methods
- Arch plasty for cervical and lumbar vertebrae
- Anterior spinal decompression
- Herniated disc resection
- Corrective spinal osteotomy
- Total joint replacement (hip, knee, and elbow)
- Rotational acetabular osteotomy
- High tibial osteotomy
- Rheumatoid arthritis surgery (wrist and forefoot arthroplasties)
- Knee-arthroscopic ligament reconstruction
- Extended resection of malignant bone and soft tissue tumors
- Resection of benign bone and soft tissue tumors
- Bone lengthening
- Surgery for pseudarthrosis
- Invasive internal fixation
- Tenorrhaphy
- Thumb Carpometacarpal Arthroplasty
- Surgical repair of hallux valgus
Examination methods
- Imaging (such as plain X-rays, CT, NRI, and 3-D imaging)
- Bone density measurement
- Electromyography
- Nerve conduction velocity measurement
- Radiculography
- Myelography
- Bone scintigraphy/PET
- Needle biopsy
- Knee arthroscopy