The orthopaedic department in Košice–Šaca was founded in 1971 as part of a newly opened hospital providing curative and preventive care primarily for employees of VSŽ Košice.The first head of the department was MUDr. Zdenek Kovář, who held the position until 1989. From 1989 to 1992, the department was led by MUDr. Peter Bindas.
In January 1991, the hospital was transformed into the Hospital with Polyclinic Košice–Šaca, and later into Košice–Šaca Hospital, Inc., the first private hospital, during which time the department already provided care for patients from all over Slovakia.
From 1992 to 2003, the head of the department was MUDr. Jozef Vitkovský. During this period, the department and operating theatres underwent modernization, and a new young team of physicians was formed, which constitutes the foundation of today’s clinic.
A significant figure of Slovak orthopaedics and traumatology, emeritus head physician MUDr. Vojtech Blaško), should be mentioned for his expertise, dedication, international contacts, and exceptional human approach, which profoundly influenced subsequent generations of physicians trained at this department.
By the late 1990s, a modern orthopaedic centre emerged, focusing on hip and knee joint replacement surgery, arthroscopy of all joints, foot and ankle surgery, musculoskeletal traumatology, and sports orthopaedics.
From 2003 to 2011, the department was headed by MUDr. Ivan Staško, and from March 2011 by MUDr. Roman Totkovič, who continued the initiated activities and contributed to further development of the department.
In 2015, the hospital became part of the AGEL group, and in the same year a new operating centre with modern operating theatres was opened. In 2016, the Clinic of Musculoskeletal and Sports Medicine of the Faculty of Medicine, Pavol Jozef Šafárik University, was established within the orthopaedic department, with MUDr. Peter Polan, PhD, MPH) appointed as Head of the Clinic.
The orthopaedic department was awarded the title “Center of Excellence” by the Zimmer Institute in 2005, received the Mayor of Košice Award in 2008, and in 2016 was granted the title FIFA Medical Centre of Excellence, ranking it among the most prestigious sports medicine centres in the world (photo – FIFA inauguration).
From a historical perspective of individual procedures, the first total hip replacement at the department was performed in 1978, the first revision using a revision implant in 1996. The first total knee replacement was performed in 2003, and the first computer-navigated knee replacement in 2004. Arthroscopic surgery began in 1994 with the first arthroscopic knee procedure. In 1997, the first arthroscopic shoulder procedure was performed, followed in the same year by elbow and ankle arthroscopy; in 2000, the first anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction was carried out, and in 2008 wrist arthroscopy was introduced.
Currently, more than 4,000 surgical procedures are performed annually at the clinic, and more than 50,000 patients are treated in outpatient clinics. The clinic currently employs 15 full-time physicians, four of whom are involved in teaching students at the Faculty of Medicine, Pavol Jozef Šafárik University.
In 2007, the Sports–Arthro Centre was opened as part of the orthopaedic department, a modern facility that, in addition to orthopaedic and traumatology outpatient care, also provides preventive examinations for athletes and sports clubs.
