Sensible loss for Cuban orthopedics, Professor Candebat passes away

August 27, 2021

In the early morning hours of Thursday, August 26, 2021, Dr. C. Raúl R. Candebat Candebat passed away, a brilliant orthopedic physician who stood out for his dedication and commitment to the service of Cuban orthopedics.

He was the recipient of countless recognitions throughout his career, among them the honorary title of National Hero of Labor of the Republic of Cuba.

His origins trace back to a small town near the foothills of the Sierra Maestra. His maternal uncle was a physician of considerable prestige, "much beloved among the poor." His father was a dental technician whose economic hardships prevented him from completing his high school graduation and studying Medicine.

In resistance to his father's aspirations, in September of 1955 he arrived in the capital to pursue a career in engineering. But in the end, he changed careers and embarked on the path of medicine.

The University of Havana closed its doors in 1956 and only with the triumph of the Revolution could he continue his studies. Initially he thought about studying Pediatrics, but, once again, things would not turn out the way he had planned.

After January first, 1959, the country suffered a massive exodus of medical professionals. It was a very difficult moment; the Orthopedic Hospital, today Hospital "Fructuoso Rodríguez," had been left without specialists and Professor Julio Martínez Páez requested support to train experts in orthopedic surgery and traumatology, starting with students who would take the sixth year of the Medicine career through direct enrollment.

A few answered the call, among them Raúl Candebat Candebat, who in the year 1964 obtained his degree.

His first work experience was at Hospital "Saturnino Lora," in Santiago de Cuba. In mid-1965 he participated in a mission in the Congo, under the orders of Che.

He also fulfilled a military internationalist mission 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 on hip osteoarthritis. From 1969 until 1982, he served as vice director at the International Orthopedic Scientific Complex "Frank País," in Havana.

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

During that period he also attended continuing education projects related to spine and hip conditions at the Italian university "La Sapienza," between 1973 and 1977, where he acquired the skills that would gradually make him one of the most renowned orthopedic surgeons in our nation.

On December 3, 1982, the Clinical Surgical Hospital "Hermanos Ameijeiras" was inaugurated. Dr. Candebat was in charge of opening the orthopedic service, which began operations a few months before the official opening of the center, and of introducing surgical procedures in the year 1983.

In that first stage, of great demand for sacrifice and dedication, techniques and procedures that were little known or not popularized in Cuba were introduced, with the effort to provide a service that corresponded to that of a hospital that was unlike any other hospital in the country.

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

The economic crisis of the early 1990s 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 for that purpose and which today is patented.

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

Today, thanks to his effort, the orthopedic service of the Clinical Surgical Hospital "Hermanos Ameijeiras" is an acknowledged reference for spinal surgery, limb reimplantation surgery and vascularized flap surgery, brachial plexus injuries, and hip surgery. He himself was responsible for the introduction of autotransfusion.

Therefore, it is not possible to speak of the development of orthopedics in Cuba without his contributions, and the contribution, both practical and educational, of the orthopedic service of this institution.

He directly trained more than 50 specialists. He conducted 22 supervisions on residency completion assignments (TTR). He served as president of more than 30 state committees.

He was the principal author of more than 60 scientific papers and co-author of more than 100 papers 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 one patent of invention.

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

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

He was a member of the Peruvian Society of Orthopedics and Traumatology and an Active member of the International Society of Orthopedics and Traumatology (SICOT) until his death.

Beyond the accolades received by this brilliant physician is the person who conducted himself through life with humility, who spoke of "us" rather than "I," who felt pride in his origins, respect for his work team, and gratitude to others.

A humble man and beloved by all those who had the good fortune to know him.