On the occasion of World Orthopaedics Day (June 3), the Clermont-Ferrand University Hospital highlights its orthopaedic surgery department, which is capable of managing all pathologies of the musculoskeletal system, from the most common to the most complex. This organization ensures that all patients have access to a high level of medical and technical expertise within the framework of the public hospital service.
The department is built around an experienced team of five surgeons and three dedicated operating rooms, enabling it to sustain a high level of activity, both in scheduled procedures and emergency care (approximately 3,000 surgeries and 15,000 consultations each year). This momentum is supported by a continuous commitment to improvement, reflected in regular scientific activity (around 15 publications per year) and a strong focus on training. The department also stands out for its role as a teaching center, notably as a unique reference center in France for osteoligamentous allografts.
From routine surgery to a referral center
This expertise is first reflected in the provision of “routine” orthopaedic surgery, accessible to the entire population. The department treats shoulder conditions (~400 procedures per year), hip and knee pathologies (1,500 surgeries per year), as well as knee ligament injuries, including complex cases requiring reconstruction of multiple structures. In this regard, the University Hospital is recognized as a national referral center for multi-ligament surgeries and ligament allografts.
At the same time, the department plays a key referral role when cases become more complex. It performs around 250 revision surgeries each year (hip, knee, shoulder), for many patients referred after an initial procedure carried out in another institution. More broadly, nearly 2,000 specialized consultations annually involve patients referred for complications, with a dedicated organization and immediate access to custom-made implants and specific technical devices.
This referral role is also reflected in the management of osteoarticular infections, in close collaboration with the infectious diseases department. The University Hospital thus serves as the regional reference center for these cases, which require highly specialized surgery and a high level of expertise.
Technological innovation is also fully integrated into practice
Used since 2022, the Cori™ surgical robot is now employed, when necessary, in complex and revision knee replacement surgeries. Through a robot-assisted procedure supported by artificial intelligence, it enables faster bone resection and more precise positioning, using sensors and a teletransmission system to optimize both planning and implant placement according to the patient’s anatomy.
The surgeon can thus select and implant the prosthesis best suited to the patient’s morphology, often resulting in a smoother and faster post-operative recovery. Its portable format makes it particularly well suited to outpatient surgery. Already used by two clinics in France, Cori makes Clermont-Ferrand University Hospital the first public institution to be equipped with it; orthopaedic surgeons have now been using it successfully for four years.
Pr Roger Erivan, orthopaedic surgeonOur goal is to provide both accessible orthopaedic care for the most common conditions and recognized expertise for the most complex cases. This complementarity lies at the heart of our public service mission.
Ostéobanque: a tissue bank designed by university hospital professionals for professionals across France
Surgeons from the department are highly involved, alongside their hospital activity, in the management of Ostéobanque, an association dedicated to the management of osteoligamentous grafts (tendons, bones, ligaments, menisci, cartilage). This organization, independent from the University Hospital, plays a major role at the national level in the provision of grafts, further confirming the recognized expertise of the hospital’s orthopaedic teams in this field.
