Our program was presented by our own Rotary member, Alireza Khosroabady, DPM.  With his specialty being podiatric medicine, he gave a fascinating insiders view of how a special surgical technique has helped thousands over the years.  The procedure was originally developed in the 1950’s by a Russian doctor, Dr. Gavril Abramovich Ilizarov, who perfected it for patients with limb deformities such as clubfoot, lower limb discrepancies, short stature, etc.  The procedure uses a specifically designed apparatus called the Ilizarov fixator, which involves a surgical bone break, then a series of rings connected to each other (and the bone) around a deformed limb.  Through daily adjustment of the fixator by the patient, bone can actually grow as much as one millimeter a day or four inches over time if need be.  Dr. Ali says there is initial pain for the first five days (patient given a spinal) but after that, no pain.  Dr. Ali has treated infants, toddlers, adolescents and adults for orthopedic congenital deformities by using this and other methods.   Dr. Ali is a fellowship trained foot and ankle specialist graduated from New York College of Podiatric Medicine.  He completed a three-year residency at St. Vincent Catholic Medical Center and Metropolitan Hospital Center in New York.  In addition, he spent a year in Baltimore’s Sinai Hospital at the Rubin Institute for Advanced Orthopedics earning a fellowship.  There is no doubt Dr Ali has studied from the best and has become one of the top in his field.  Thank you, Dr. Ali, for sharing your insight with the greatest Rotary Club in the world.