The orthopaedic department was established in 1948. Ass.prof. Jaromír Štepán led the department until 1957. Pregraduate study of general medicine started in 1954. Research activities were focused on the issue of congenital musculoskeletal disorders of hip and shoulder joints.
Ass. prof. Miroslav Haluzický was the head of the department from 1957 to 1978. The main topic of research activities was avascular bone necrosis and bone tumors.
The head of department in years 1978 to 1990 was Michal Kováč, who focused his research activities in issues of vascular bone supply.
The department has been moved from old building in Rastislavova street to new hospital in Trieda SNP 1 in 1981, where the new reconstructive procedures of musculoskeletal disorders were implemented.
In 1990 ass. prof. Gabriel Vaško, CSc. became the head of department. Department changed the name to Department of orthopaedics and traumatology of locomotor apparatus. He deserves to implement methods of regenerative medicine for the treatment of damaged articular cartilage, aseptic bone necrosis, delayed bone healing and bone defects of various aetiologies. He significantly contributed to the development of modern surgical principles in the primary and revision joint arthroplasties, onco-orthopaedics and traumatology of the locomotor apparatus.
