Dr. Hamelynck is specialised in General Surgery at the
Wilhelmina Hospital of the University of Amsterdam, the
Netherlands, and later in orthopedic surgery at the Dijkzigt
Hospital of the University of Rotterdam. In 1979 he returned
to Amsterdam to become head of the department of Ortho-
paedic and Rheumatoid Surgery of the Slotervaart Hospital
and the Jan van Breemen Institute, Centre for Rheumatogy,
in 1981. He developed a special interest in the surgery of
rheumatoid arthritis and joint replacement and in particu-
lar the biomechanics and design of prostheses.
He was the first surgeon in Europe to use the LCS” total
knee prosthesis. After the introduction of the prosthesis in
the Slotervaart Ziekenhuis in 1984, this Amsterdam centre
became the learning centre for total knee replacement for
many surgeons from all over the world. More than 2000 sur-
geons have visited Amsterdam to improve their knowledge
and skills.