Ilkka Helenius
MD, PhD, Professor of Pediatric Orthopedic Surgery
Chief of Pediatric Orthopedics and Traumatology ilkka.helenius@utu.fi ORCID identifier: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5200-3279 |
Pediatric Orthopedic Surgery; Scoliosis; Spine Surgery; Musculoskeletal tumors; Trauma surgery
Professor Ilkka Helenius, MD, is the chief of pediatric orthopaedics and traumatology at Turku University Hospital in Turku. He is the first professor of pediatric orthopedics and traumatology in Finland. He leads the multicenter studies of the Finnish Pediatric Orthopedic Study Group which focuses on scoliosis surgery, musculoskeletal tumors, and treatment of pediatric fractures. Professor Helenius has pioneered new techniques for scoliosis surgery in Finland and Nordic Countries such as pedicle screw technique, magnetically controlled growing rods, and tethering for idiopathic scoliosis. His research has lead to improved practices in blood loss control during in scoliosis surgery. Professor Helenius has frequently been invited speaker and to perform early onset scoliosis surgery in the Northern Europe. In 2017, he worked as a visiting professor and consultant orthopaedic spine surgeon at the University of Copenhagen and Rigshospitalet, Denmark.
Professor Helenius started his orthopaedic research career at Orton Orthopaedic Hospital, in Helsinki, Finland in 1999. He worked as a research fellow at the Pediatric Spine Study Group lead by Professor Dietrich Schlenzka. His clinical and research career continued at the Helsinki Children's Hospital in the Department of Pediatrics and Pediatric Orthopedics between 2002 and 2009. During this time Professor Helenius focused on e.g. orthopedic complications in children receiving solid organ transplantation. His research showed that risk of fractures in this patient population is significant and this resulted into systematic medical treatment. In 2007 he established the Finnish Paediatric Orthopaedic Study Group and has been the Leader since then. Currently, the study group is investigating blood saving protocols and postoperative pain management in scoliosis surgery (randomized clinical trials). The scientific activity of Professor Helenius has resulted into over 100 original scientific articles, several supervised PhDs, and improved care practices in pediatric orthopaedic surgery.
Professor Helenius is the academic chairman of Pediatric Surgery and and Pediatric Orthopedic Surgery at the University of Turku. His is responsible for teaching of pediatric surgery and pediatric orthopedics for medical and specialist training of pediatric surgery at University of Turku.
- No effect of montelukast on asthma-like symptoms in elite ice hockey players (2004)
- Allergy
(A1 Refereed original research article in a scientific journal) - Walking ability in patients with diastrophic dysplasia: A clinical, electroneurophysiological, treadmill, and MRI analysis (2004)
- Journal of Pediatric Orthopaedics
(A1 Refereed original research article in a scientific journal) - Airway inflammation, bronchial hyperresponsiveness and asthma in elite ice hockey players (2003)
- European Respiratory Journal
(A1 Refereed original research article in a scientific journal) - Emergency procedure skills of graduating medical doctors (2003)
- Medical Teacher
(A1 Refereed original research article in a scientific journal) - Harrington and Cotrel-Dubousset instrumentation in adolescent idiopathic scoliosis - Long-term functional and radiographic outcomes (2003)
- Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery, American Volume
(A1 Refereed original research article in a scientific journal) - Smoking and atopy as determinants of sputum eosinophilia and bronchial hyper-responsiveness in adults with normal lung function (2003)
- Respiratory Medicine
(A1 Refereed original research article in a scientific journal) - Total hip arthroplasty in diastrophic dysplasia (2003)
- Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery, American Volume
(A1 Refereed original research article in a scientific journal) - Total knee arthroplasty in patients with diastrophic dysplasia (2003)
- Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery, American Volume
(A1 Refereed original research article in a scientific journal) - Comparison of long-term functional and radiologic outcomes after Harrington instrumentation and spondylodesis in adolescent idiopathic scoliosis - A review of 78 patients (2002)
- Spine
(A1 Refereed original research article in a scientific journal) - Effect of continuing or finishing high-level sports on airway inflammation, bronchial hyperresponsiveness, and asthma: A 5-year prospective follow-up study of 42 highly trained swimmers (2002)
- Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology
(A1 Refereed original research article in a scientific journal) - Lung function in diastrophic dysplasia (2002)
- Pediatric Pulmonology
(A1 Refereed original research article in a scientific journal) - Magnetic resonance imaging analysis of hip joint development in patients with diastrophic dysplasia (2002)
- Journal of Pediatric Orthopaedics
(A1 Refereed original research article in a scientific journal) - Surgical procedure skills of graduating medical students: Effects of sex, working, and research experience (2002)
- Journal of Surgical Research
(A1 Refereed original research article in a scientific journal) - Focal sialadenitis in patients with ankylosing spondylitis and spondyloarthropathy: a comparison with patients with rheumatoid arthritis or mixed connective tissue disease (2001)
- Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases
(A1 Refereed original research article in a scientific journal) - Hip arthroscopy in osteoarthritis - A review of 68 patients (2001)
- Annales Chirurgiae et Gynaecologiae
(A1 Refereed original research article in a scientific journal) - Allergy and asthma in elite summer sport athletes (2000)
- Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology
(A1 Refereed original research article in a scientific journal) - Research and medical students (2000)
- Medical Teacher
(A1 Refereed original research article in a scientific journal) - ASTHMA IN RUNNERS (1994) TIKKANEN HO, HELENIUS I
(Other publication)