The latest advances in urology, including the most effective techniques for removing  kidney stones, headline a series of events that began on Feb. 27 and continue through March 3, 2012, at Fundación Santa Fe de Bogotá (FSFB), Colombia’s premier health care facility as part of a collaboration between FSFB and Baltimore, USA-based Johns Hopkins Medicine. The week-long series of lectures and presentations will feature talks by Brian Matlaga, M.D., associate professor, James Buchanan Brady Urological Institute, Johns Hopkins Medicine, Baltimore.

“We are delighted to have the opportunity to welcome Dr. Matlaga at FSFB and believe that this event will have a strong impact on the Colombian health care community and will enlighten us on ways to diagnose and treat kidney stone disease,” says Adolfo Serrano, M.D., Department of Urology, Fundación Santa Fe de Bogotá. “It is a step forward in our goal to create a renal lithiasis clinic at our medical center, and we trust that the community we serve will benefit from our collaboration with Johns Hopkins.” 

Matlaga will review the surgical techniques used in the treatment of kidney stones, a painful and debilitating condition that affects many Colombians. He will also participate in a one-day International Urology Symposium on March 3, focusing on Metabolic Evaluation: Who Needs to Be Evaluated, What to Do, and Follow-up. The presentation also includes a review of ureteroscopy, including rigid and flexible devices, techniques, complicationsand follow-up among other important topics.

“I’m honored to have the opportunity to share Johns Hopkins’ latest research and clinical best practices with our colleagues in Colombia,” says Matlaga, “One in 10 people in the United States has kidney stones, with millions more affected across Latin America. Research has revealed that the risk of developing kidney stones increases in a hot, tropical climate.”

The collaboration agreement between FSFB and Johns Hopkins Medicine International was signed in 2011 and focuses on knowledge transfer, training and education projects to help Colombia’s health care system keep pace with the country's rapidly growing economy.

In 2011, for the 21st year in a row, The Johns Hopkins Hospital earned first place in the U.S. News & World Report’s annual rankings of more than 4,800 American hospitals, placing first in five medical specialties and in the top five in 10 others.

About Johns Hopkins Medicine International

Johns Hopkins Medicine International (JHI) facilitates the global expansion of the Johns Hopkins Medicine mission: To improve the health of the community and the world by setting the standard of excellence in medical education, research and clinical care. JHI provides personalized, culturally appropriate care for patients traveling from outside Maryland and the United States and for local patients with limited English proficiency. JHI also leverages Hopkins’ extensive knowledge base in medicine, nursing, public health, business and health care administration to provide services in hospital management, health care consulting and clinical education through strategic alliances and affiliations throughout the world.