Kim Jin-gu, Director of Myongji Hospital, Surpasses 3,000 Cases of Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction Surgery

Jin-gu Kim, Director of Myongji Hospital (Professor of Orthopedic Surgery).

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Gwan-ju] Myongji Hospital announced on the 30th that Professor Jin-gu Kim, an authority in knee joint and sports medicine and head of the orthopedic department (hospital director), has surpassed 3,000 cases of anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction surgery.

Since starting ACL reconstruction surgery in 1996, Professor Kim has introduced changes in advanced overseas surgical techniques to Korea, led numerous related studies, and regularly held symposiums, driving the development of ACL reconstruction surgery in the country.

After training at the world-renowned Sports Center of the University of Pittsburgh in the United States in 2003, he was the first to perform the transAM portal approach and introduced major surgical methods such as double-bundle reconstruction to Korea in 2006.

In particular, ACL injuries emphasize a comprehensive approach not only to surgery but also to full recovery. In 2006, he established a sports medicine center, which was rare in Korea at the time, creating a one-stop treatment system where diagnosis, surgery, and functional recovery therapy are all conducted in one place.

As a result, the number of ACL reconstruction surgeries, which was only about 80 cases in 2006, surged more than tenfold to 1,000 cases in 2012, reached 2,000 cases in 2017, and surpassed 3,000 cases in May of this year. Based on numerous clinical achievements and high research performance, he has served as the team doctor for many national athletes, including speed skater Lee Sang-hwa, as well as Ahn Jung-hwan, Sul Ki-hyun, Hong Sung-heun, and Park Tae-hwan.

Professor Kim said, “Achieving 3,000 ACL reconstruction surgeries is the result of dedicating 27 years to one type of surgery and is part of the process of seeking better surgical methods. We will not be satisfied with the present and will continue to improve to provide the best treatment for patients.”

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