Raúl Rodolfo Candebat Candebat

Prominent orthopedic physician from Cuba, specialist of II Degree in Orthopedic Surgery and Traumatology, Full Professor and Consultant and head of the Orthopedics service at Hospital Clínico Quirúrgico Hermanos Amejeiras. He received various recognitions including the high honorary title of Hero of Labor of the Republic of Cuba. He was also an internationalist both in military service and in his profession as a physician.

A native of a town near the Sierra Maestra, Santiago de Cuba. In September 1955 he arrived in the capital and began his medical studies. However, the Universidad de La Habana closed its doors in 1956 and only with the triumph of the Revolution was he able to continue his studies.

While completing the sixth year of his Medical degree, the country made a call to form experts in orthopedic surgery and traumatology to which he responded. By 1964 he showed his Doctor of Medicine degree.

He fulfilled an internationalist mission in the Congo with Che. He also participated in military internationalist missions in Guinea Bissau from 1967 to 1968, and medical internationalist missions in Iraq, 1977, 1978 and 1979.

In 1971 he graduated as a specialist in Orthopedics, with a thesis about hip osteoarthritis. From 1969 to 1982 he was vice director at the International Orthopedic Scientific Complex "Frank País", in La Habana.

He was an instructor of the specialty from 1967, full professor from 1979 and consulting professor of Hospital CIMEQ since its inauguration.

On December 3, 1982, Hospital Clínico Quirúrgico "Hermanos Ameijeiras" was inaugurated. Doctor Candebat was in charge of opening the orthopedics service, which began functioning a few months before the official opening of the center, and of incorporating surgical procedures, in 1983.

He accompanied various sports delegations and Government delegations abroad as an orthopedic surgeon since 1986 (more than 30 missions of this type).

The economic crisis of the early 90s affected all spheres of the nation. Candebat, together with his work team, found alternatives to the absence of instruments to stabilize the spine by creating a device that was very useful in that regard and which is now patented.

Procedures such as vertebral corpectomy, osteophytectomy, vertebrectomy in patients suffering from cancer with spinal and epidural tumors from metastasis, among many others, are currently performed in that institution.

He directly trained more than 50 specialists. He conducted 22 tutorships in residency completion works (TTR). He served as president of more than 30 state tribunals.

He was the main author of more than 60 scientific works and co-author of more than 100 works presented at congresses, national and international courses. He was part of the faculty of 27 national and international courses.

Publications as author and co-author: 19. Participation in national and international events: 28. Introducer in the country of more than 37 techniques and procedures of the specialty. Author of a patent of invention.

Doctor Candebat received 19 military, political and administrative decorations throughout his career, notably his election as National Vanguard in 2004 and the granting of the honorary title of National Hero of Labor of the Republic of Cuba, the highest distinction granted by the Cuban State to those who have had a relevant working life.

He was a member of the Cuban and also Peruvian Society of Orthopedics and Traumatology and Active member of the International Society of Orthopedics and Traumatology (SICOT).

Scientific Publications
He contributed to the preparation of the book of the specialty of Orthopedics and Traumatology, and as co-author in the Manual of Procedures on the national norms of the same specialty and of the national program for the training of specialists.

Revista Cubana de Medicina
Surgical Treatment of Spinal Cord Injuries in Patients with Multiple Myeloma

Revista Cubana de Ortopedia y Traumatología
Desmoplastic Fibroma of the Lumbar Spine
Results of Percutaneous Vagotomy in the Treatment of Trigger Finger
Combined Approach in Thoracolumbar Spine for Tumors
Transpedicular Corpectomy in Thoracolumbar Spine Fractures

Recognitions
He received the decoration Hero of Labor of the Republic of Cuba in 2017.