Ilkka Helenius
MD, PhD, Professor of Pediatric Orthopedic Surgery
Chief of Pediatric Orthopedics and Traumatology ilkka.helenius@utu.fi |
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.
- An Acta Orthopaedica educational article : Treatment of pediatric spondylolysis and spondylolisthesisRigid Thoracolumbar Orthosis Does Not Improve Outcomes of Acute Adolescent Spondylolysis as Compared with Placebo. Bony Union Predicts Improved Health-Related Quality of Life Outcomes at 2-year Follow-Up (2025)
- Acta OrthopaedicaSpine
- Pelvic vs Lumbar Fusion in Neuromuscular Scoliosis - A Systematic ReviewWhat's new in the pediatric spine? (2025)
- Global Spine JournalJournal of Children's Orthopaedics
- Antibiotic prophylaxis in surgery for closed fracture of the hand (2024)
- Hand Surgery and Rehabilitation
- DUODENAL ATRESIA IN FINLAND FROM 2004 to 2017: PREVALENCE, MORTALITY AND ASSOCIATED ANOMALIES : A population-based studyBiodegradable biomaterials in orthopedic surgery: A narrative review of the current evidence (2024)
- European Journal of Pediatric SurgeryScandinavian Journal of Surgery
- Hidden blood loss and bleeding characteristics in children with congenital scoliosis undergoing spinal osteotomies (2024)
- International Orthopaedics
- Keuhkokuumeen aiheuttama kuolleisuus CP-vammaan liittyvän skolioosin yhteydessä. Vertaileva kansallinen rekisteritutkimus leikattujen ja leikkaamattomien välillä (2024)
- Suomen ortopedia ja traumatologiaSpine
- Osteotomies At The Time of Graduation Surgery: How Much Do We Get from Them? (2024)
- Spine
- Paediatric syndromic scoliosis: proceedings of the half-day course at the 57th annual meeting of the Scoliosis Research SocietyThe incidence and management of slipped capital femoral epiphysis: a population-based study (2024)
- Spine deformityActa Orthopaedica Belgica
- Prevalence, Mortality, and Associated Anomalies in Esophageal Atresia: A Retrospective Study of Finnish Population Data (2004-2017) (2024)
- European Journal of Pediatric Surgery
- Reliability and validity of the adapted Finnish version of the early onset scoliosis questionnaire (EOSQ-24) (2024)
- Spine deformity
- (2024)
- (2024)
- (2023)
- Elastic Lumbar Support versus Rigid Thoracolumbar Orthosis for Acute Pediatric Spondylolysis A Prospective Controlled Study (2023)
- Kovalla korsetilla ei saavuteta parempia tuloksia verrattuna lumehoitoon tuoreen nuoruusiän spondylolyysin hoidossa. Spondylolyysin luutuminen ennustaa parempaa elämänlaatua 2-vuoden seurannassa (2023)
- Suomen ortopedia ja traumatologia
- (2023)
- Tumors and infections of the growing spine (2023)
- Journal of Children's Orthopaedics
- Increasing Prevalence and High Risk of Associated Anomalies in Congenital Vertebral Defects: A Population-based Study (2022)
- Journal of Pediatric Orthopaedics
- Spinal manifestations of skeletal dysplasias (2022) The Growing Spine : Management of Spinal Disorders in Young Children Lau Leok-Lim, Helenius Ilkka J., Mackenzie William G.
- Maternal risk factors for congenital limb deficiencies: A population-based case-control study (2021)
- Paediatric and Perinatal Epidemiology