Alfredo Braulio Ceballos Mesa

Outstanding personality in Cuban medicine, education, and research. Full Member of the Academy of Sciences of Cuba, Doctor of Medicine, Doctor of Sciences, Consulting Professor, First and Second-Degree Specialist in Orthopedics and Traumatology. Senior Researcher.

In the sixties, he created the Army Sanitation School in Camagüey province.

He began as a Medicine Teacher, work that he has performed since then, now as a consulting professor teaching pre- and postgraduate courses on topics of his specialty. In 1970, he provided his services to those affected by the Managua, Nicaragua earthquake and accompanied as an assurance team member to Commander-in-Chief Fidel Castro on his trips to Algeria, Iraq, India, and Vietnam.

Degrees Obtained

Doctor of Medicine 1961, University of Havana.
Colonel of the Ministry of Interior (Reserve).
Founder of the Communist Party of Cuba.
Instructor, Chair of Orthopedics and Traumatology of the University of Havana, 1965.
First-Degree Specialist in Orthopedics and Traumatology, 1965.
Doctor of Medical Sciences, 1983. Ministry of Higher Education (MES), Havana.
Doctor of Sciences 1986, Humboldt University, Berlin, Ratified in Cuba.
Senior Researcher, 1989.
Consulting Professor. University of Medical Sciences of Havana (UCMH), 1995.
Full Academic. Academy of Sciences of Cuba, 2002.
President of the Surgical Sciences Degrees Tribunal of the National Commission of Scientific Degrees of MES.
Professor of Merit of UCMH, 2008.

Postgraduate Studies

Traveling WHO Fellowship by competition May-June 1970, with stays in: England, Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital and Nuffield Orthopaedic Center Oxford, France. Charité Hospital, Italy University Hospital of Rome.
Study on External Fixation of Bones, according to Ilizarov Moscow Riga Kurgan (former USSR), 1978.
Study Post-Trauma Rehabilitation and Curontology, Moscow North Caucasus (former USSR), 1979.
Microsurgery applied to limb injuries. Karolinska Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden, 1983.
External Fixation System Erasme Hospital Brussels, Belgium, 1986.

Professional Experience

Internal Student. Institute of Orthopedic Surgery 1954-59, today "Fructuoso Rodríguez" Hospital, and "General Calixto García" Hospital, 1960, both in Havana.
Postgraduate Social Service "Ignacio Agramonte" Hospital, Camagüey, 1961-1962.
Chief of Orthopedics Service "Carlos J. Finlay" Hospital, Havana, 1966-1981.
Center for Medical and Surgical Research (CIMEQ). Consulting Professor, Professor of Merit 1982-2017.

Publications (number of titles)

Specialty Books for Residents, students and other specific ones: -4.
Teaching Pamphlets and support for development activities: -8.
Popular Education Books and Pamphlets: -5.
Publications in Plain Press for popular education: -9.
Forewords to Specialized Books: -3.
Works in Scientific Journals and books related to trauma: -16.
Scientific Works Supervised by different competitions: -12.
Supervised Theses for Orthopedics and Traumatology specialty: -18.
Supervised Theses for Doctorates: -8.

Research Conducted

Study of lipids in fractures, 1976.
Electrical stimulation and external fixation of bone callus in fractures (1981-86).
Surgical CO2 laser in limb infections (1988-1999).
Cryopreservation of bone grafts for transplantation (2002-2006).
Hyperbaric Oxygenation in limb injuries, (2003-2006).
Stem cell implantation in femoral head osteonecrosis (2005-present).

Patents and Inventions

Patent: Apparatus and method for applying electrical current to bone callus. Resol. 784/87 Certificate 21748.
Patent: Osteogenesis stimulator apparatus by magnetic fields. ONITEM RPI-66/88, May 1988.
Patent: Bone External Fixator (Co-author) ONITEM Cuba Resolution 960/91, Certificate 21965.
Instrumentation for percutaneous bone graft. Highlighted at X Provincial and National Science and Technology Forum 1995.
Caballero Wire Loop Osteosynthesis System (author). XI Science and Technology Forum Prize 1996. Awarded Generalization, 1997.

Scientific Societies to which he Belongs

International Society of Orthopedics and Traumatology, SICOT, 1986.
Society for Physical Regulation in Biology and Medicine, 1989.
Cuban Society of Orthopedics and Traumatology, SCOT, Vice-President, 1963 to 2016.
Peruvian Society of Orthopedics and Traumatology, Honorary Member, 1982.
Chilean Society of Orthopedics and Traumatology, Corresponding Member, 1986.
Bolivian Society of Orthopedics and Traumatology, Member of Honor, 1989.
German Society of Orthopedics and Traumatology, (Former GDR), 1986.
Society of Traumatologists (Former USSR) 1990.
Member of ASAMI Friends of Ilizarov System, 1994.
Founder Caribbean Medical Association (AMECA) 1994.
ALOTO Society of Italy, Orthopedics Traumatology and Hospital Association 1997.
Member of the Latin American Society of External Fixation, 2003.
Argentine Society of Orthopedic Trauma, 2005.
Honorary Member of the Mexican Society of External Fixation, 2009.
Member of Honor of the College of Orthopedics and Traumatology of Mazatlán, Sinaloa Mexico, 2015.
Member of the Association of Trauma Surgeons of the Americas, headquartered in San Francisco California, USA.

Recognition and Awards Received (the most outstanding)

Commemorative Medal XX Anniversary, 1973.
Medal of Underground Fighter 1986.
Internationalist Fighter Medal II Degree, Council of State 26-7-81.
"Manuel Fajardo Rivero" Medal, 1982.
Medal of Distinction for Cuban Education, Ministry of Education 1998.
"Eliseo Reyes" Medal, Council of State, 1985.
MINSAP National Prize, 1982. Book "External Fixation of Bones".
"José Tey" Medal. Council of State 1990.
Medal for Fighting Bandits, 1991.
Gold Medal, International Health for All Fair, 1994. CIMEQ External Fixator.
"Carlos J. Finlay" Order, Council of State 1992.
"Frank País" Order, Council of State, 1997.
Recognition in the publication Who is Who in Sciences in Cuba by IDICT, 1997.
Outstanding Educator of the XX Century, Association of Pedagogues of Cuba, 2010.
Medal 150th Anniversary of the Academy of Medical, Physical, Mathematical Sciences of Havana, 2011.
Medal 50th Anniversary of the Academy of Sciences of Cuba 2012.
Medal 60th Anniversary Foundation Rebel Army, 2015.
MINSAP National Prize 2016 for the book External Fixation and Related Techniques 2016.
Award for Scientific Merit for Lifetime Work MINSAP 2016.

Other Important Scientific Activities

Coordinator and Main Professor of Annual Course on Orthopedics and Traumatology at CIMEQ 1987-2016, of national level, with international participation.
Guest Professor for Lectures in numerous Latin American countries, as well as at Mayo Clinic 1986 and University of Southern California 1997.
President of the Scientific Advisory Board of CIMEQ, 1988-2016.
Member of the National Orthopedics Group MINSAP 1983.
Member of the Editorial Board of the Cuban Journal of Orthopedics and Traumatology, 1998.
Participation in Examination Tribunals for Second-Degree Specialist. Promotion of Teaching Categories, Pre-Defense and Doctorate 1995-present.
Participation in Prize Tribunals of the Academy of Sciences of Cuba (2002) MINSAP National Prize (2002) CIMEQ Achievements (2003).

Significant Contributions to Cuban Traumatology

First patient in Cuba to whom a totally amputated lower limb was reimplanted at the supracondylar femoral level due to trauma. Operated at "Carlos J. Finlay" Military Hospital, 1968.
Introduction in Cuba and Latin America of the Soviet methodology (G. Ilizarov) for the treatment by bone External Fixation of limb injuries.
Publication in Spanish of the first book on bone External Fixation. Ed. Science and Technology, 1983.
Introduction in practice in Cuba of:

Electrical and electromagnetic stimulation of bone callus.
Surgery with CO2 Laser rays for surgical debridement and infections (osteomyelitis).
Use of Hyperbaric Oxygenation in Chamber as an adjuvant in the treatment of severe limb injuries and infections.
Publications on Trauma

Treatment of 100 gunshot wound victims. Thesis for the First-Degree title in Orthopedics and Traumatology Specialty, 1964. Immediate internal fixation in exposed fractures. Rev. Cuba, Cirug, 1967, vol 6(4), August.
Reimplantation of a totally amputated leg. Monograph. Rev. Serv. Méd. MINFAR, 1968.
Irrigation-suction of war wounds. Military Medical Journal, Bulgaria, Sofia, 1978.
Electrical stimulation in fracture consolidation treated by External Fixation of Bones. Rev. Med. Milit. 1984: Vol. 3 (2) June; 963-75.
Our experience in the use of External Fixators, Soviet methodology in the treatment of exposed fractures of the tibia. Rev. Cub. Cir 1985; 4; 38-42.
Study of bone callus by Axial Computed Tomography. Rev. Cuba. Ortop. Traumat. 1987, vol.1 tome 1, 15-40.
Electrical and electromagnetical stimulation of bone defect. Transaction Brags 1987, 7: 24-28.
Electrical induction in the treatment of pseudoarthrosis. Rev. Cuba. Ortop. Traumat. 1989; vol.3 (1-2): 41-59.
Electrically induced Osteogenesis in External Fixation Treatment. Acta Ortho Belgica 1991; vol 57( 2).
Surgery by CO2 Laser rays in Osteomyelitis. Rev. Cub. Ortop. Traum 1993; 6(1): 42-50.
On the CIMEQ Model Plastic External Fixator. Rev. Germana Internacional 1992; year 27(22).
Detection of pseudoarthrotic foci and evaluation of their viability through scintigraphy. Rev. España Med. Nuclear 1994, 13(4); 181-186.
Study of vascularization of pseudoarthrotic foci through digital subtraction angiography. Rev. Cub. Invest. Biomed. 1996, 15/2): 112-122.
Intrapeloric dislocation of femoral head after central acetabular and femoral neck fracture. Hip. Intern. 1987, 7(2): 75.78.
Caballero circumferential osteosynthesis system by double wire loop. Rev. Invest. Medicoquir 1998; 2(2): 18-27.
Hyperbaric Oxygenation in severe limb injuries and osteomyelitis. Rev. Med. Quirúrg. 1993: 2(2) 28-35.
Periprothetic femoral fractures. Rev. Cub. Ortop. Traumat. 2007; 21(2): 81.
External Fixation, initial experiences in Cambodia. Co-author. Rev. Quirúrg Bolis de Venezuela, 2011; 1(1) 21-27.
Osteoporosis and osteosynthesis. Rev Cub Ortop Traumat 2012; 26(1) Online.
Prophylaxis of osteoporotic fractures. Rev. Cub. Ortop Traumat 2013; 281).

Published Books Related to Trauma

War Surgery. Unique Doctrine of Treatment. Co-author of 3 chapters. 1966, MINFAR Publishing.
Military field surgery- for the Higher Institute of Medical Sciences; Military Preparation Military Chair. Volume II, 1969.
External Fixation of Bones. Scientific-Technical Publishing, 1983 (First in Spanish language in the world).

Chapter Advisor "Limb Injuries" and author of the topic "Open and closed fractures". Book War Surgery (new edition), 1981.
Treatise on Orthopedic and Trauma Surgery (co-author) ISCMH Text. Publishing People and Education, 1985.
Manual of Diagnostic and Treatment Procedures in Orthopedics and Traumatology (co-author) Volume I, Traumatology, Publishing People and Education, 1984.
Unique Doctrine of Treatment in All-People War. Co-author. MINFAR Publishing, 1986.
Direct Electrical Current Stimulation and External Fixation in Fracture Consolidation. Thesis for obtaining the Degree of Doctor of Sciences, "Humboldt" University, Berlin, 1986.
Electrical Bone Callus. Convention Center Publishing, 1997.
Hip Fractures in the Elderly. Neural Guide of Best Practices. Member Expert Group. Ciego de Ávila Publishing, 2004.
García Gutiérrez- Pardo Gómez: Surgery co-author. Topics in Traumatology of the Limbs. Sciences Publishing, 2007.
Pamphlet: Neither Fall, Nor Let Yourself Fall. Women Publishing, 2011.
External Fixation and Related Techniques. 2nd Ed. 2015. Awarded XLI Annual Competition National Health Prize, 2016.
Soler- Mederos: Surgery co-author. Part 3, Cap. 27. Amputations, Cap. 31 Hand Infections. On disk. Medical Sciences Publishing, 2016.