J.H.J.M. (Gert) Bessems, MD

The Erasmus MC Sophia Children’s Hospital is the oldest and biggest children’s hospital in the Netherlands. As a last resort for many young patients with rare diseases and difficult pediatric orthopaedic problems, working in this centre for third and fourth line referrals is challenging and most of the times very rewarding. Kids are and working with kids is special in many ways.

Pediatric Orthopaedics

At the end of my training I did my clinical fellowship in pediatric orthopaedics in the Southampton General Hospital in the UK. After my graduation in 2002 I started working as a consultant orthopaedic surgeon in the Erasmus MC, University Medical Centre Rotterdam. I had three subspecialities: traumatology, oncology and pediatric orthopaedics. Since 2010 I spent 100% of my time on pediatric orthopaedics and pediatric traumatology in the Erasmus MC Sophia Children’s Hospital which is part of the Erasmus MC. October 2018 I started also to work in the Amphia Hospital Breda. September 2019 I became a member of the Bachelor section of the Examination Committee. Besides patient care, education is where my heart is. Since 2008 I’m the theme coordinator “diseases and injuries of the musculoskeletal system” as part of the medical curriculum Erasmus MC. 

Publications Bessems JB on pubmed

Publications Bessems G on pubmed 1 to 4

Guidelines on policy on emergency operations, Turner syndrome and Down syndrome.
Co-author of several chapters and Co-editor of the book Paediatric Traumasurgery 2019
Chapter on Hip disorders in children in textbook Orthopaedics.

Theme Coordinator “Diseases and Injuries of the musculoskeletal system” as part of the medical curriculum Erasmus MC.
Teacher at the faculty of medicine Erasmus University Rotterdam / Erasmus MC, teacher at the Hogeschool Rotterdam, teacher at the Albeda College Rotterdam, teacher at the department of General Practice Erasmus MC, teacher at Erasmus Anatomy Research Project (EARP) and postdoc Lowlands Institute of Surgical and applied Anatomy (LISA).
Congress director Pediatric Orthopaedics, course director Pediatric Fractures of the Osteosynthesis and Trauma Care foundation

Consultant pediatric orthopaedic surgeon in Amphia Hospital Breda, Rehabilitation Centre Rijndam in Rotterdam and Rehabilitation centre Revant in Breda.
Deputy Head of department of Orthopaedics Erasmus MC.
Member of the Bachelor section of the Examination Committee of the faculty of Medicine Erasmus University Rotterdam.
Board member of the working group Pediatric Orthopaedics of the Dutch Orthopaedic Society.
Medical advisor of the Society of Abnormal Hip Development, the Down foundation and the Arthrogryposis Multiplex Congenita foundation

Timing of epifysiodesis on the basis of skeletal age determined according the Oxford method compared with the Greulich and Pyle and Bone Expert methods.
Active shape modeling in decision making in Legg-Calvé-Perthes disease.
Hip development in Mucopolysaccharidoses and lysosomal storage diseases.