JOURNEY AS AN ORTHOPAEDIC SURGEON, RESEARCHER, SURGICAL SITE INFECTION CONTROL & BONE LOSS EXPERT Associate Professor Kevin Tetsworth, Orthopaedic Surgeon
As an orthopaedic surgeon, Associate Professor Kevin Tetsworth, is widely recognised for his expertise in managing orthopaedic infections, chronic osteomyelitis, limb salvage, and reconstruction. He holds clinical appointments at the Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital, the Wesley Hospital in Brisbane, Macquarie University in Sydney at the Limb Reconstruction Centre.
His credentials encompass a fellowship in the American Academy, a fellowship in the Royal College in Australia, and membership in the Australian Orthopaedic Association and the International Orthopaedic Trauma Association. Associate Professor Tetsworth’s clinical focus revolves around the comprehensive management of orthopaedic infections, segmental bone defects, high-energy trauma, limb salvage and reconstruction, deformity correction, limb lengthening, and prosthetic joint infections.
In tandem with his clinical practice, Associate Professor Tetsworth is deeply engaged in orthopaedic research, with a keen interest in infection management, infection control, limb salvage, bone defect reconstruction, biomarker development for infection, bone growth hormone delivery, and the use of 3D printed models for reconstructing segmental bone defects.
His professional journey has been profoundly shaped by training under esteemed mentors like Professor Dror Paley and Dr George Cierny in the United States. This formative training has equipped him with a high level of expertise in addressing complex orthopaedic conditions, particularly those related to bone loss and infection. Having practiced in the United States, notably at the University of Maryland and the shock trauma hospital in Baltimore, Associate Professor Tetsworth relocated to Australia in 2000 and has since played a pivotal role in advancing orthopaedic surgery at the Royal Brisbane Hospital.
Associate Professor Tetsworth’s unwavering commitment to advancing orthopaedic knowledge and his exceptional proficiency in managing challenging orthopaedic conditions have earned him widespread recognition within the field.
In this Australian Health Journal interview, Assoc Professor Tetsworth talks about his clinical and research career journey and gives advice for those in medicine considering a career in orthopaedic surgery,
Assoc Prof Tetsworth concludes with a discussion on ways infection control is handled in preoperative, intraoperative and post operatively for orthopaedic surgeries.
He discusses the techniques started in the 19th century with understanding of hand hygiene, surgical instruments being sterilised and discovery of antibiotics in the 20th century, to present day practises of patient modifiable factors such as prescreening patients, lifestyle adjustments such as BMI or weight management, checking HbA1c levels for those who are diabetic and use of triclosan coated sutures in wound dressing in the early post operative period.
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GP Health of The Nation
As Australia’s largest professional general practice organisation, the RACGP represents more than 43,000 members, including more than 24,000 Fellows who have completed specialist training (or its equivalent). These are the frontline GPs who treat almost 22 million patients across the country every year.
Each year the runs a survey across Australian Doctors. This year’s report reflects the experience of more than 1300 RACGP Fellows from across Australia. Despite this and other achievements, the share of total government healthcare spend for primary care is in decline.
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Caring for community
With a passion for helping people, Carina Fernandes in her final year at Western Sydney University received accolades as a nursing student. Now a recent graduate, having completed her Bachelor of Nursing (Advanced) degree, and recognised as an Emerging Nurse Leader 2021 by the Australian College of Nursing, Carina has her sights set on her new role in healthcare, at the same time keeping sustainability top of mind.
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Future of minimally invasive surgery
Macquarie University Hospital is the first hospital in Australia to have three robotic surgical systems. It remains the busiest centre for robotic urology in New South Wales and has rapidly growing programs in other areas. What is behind the Hospital’s success?
Conjoint Associate Professor Walter Kmet, CEO of Macquarie University Hospital, says that the story of robotics at the Hospital is driven by its academic health sciences identity.
