Bringing Surgical Innovations from the World to Indonesia!

For him, a fellowship is not just about observing and learning — it’s about bringing modern knee and hip surgical techniques back to Indonesia.

This is the journey of Dr. Glen Purnomo, Sp.OT, Subsp.PL(K), whose pursuit of knowledge has taken him across the globe. From Asia to Europe, he has joined prestigious training programs—no easy feat amid fierce competition with doctors from around the world.

By WAHYU ZANUAR BUSTOMI, Jawa Pos

The sound of metal instruments in the operating room is like music to his ears. His left hand steadies the bone while his right hand holds a small drill that penetrates tissue with millimeter precision. On his face, there is not the slightest hint of doubt.

Every time Dr. Glen Purnomo dons his sterile green gown, it’s as if he brings home pieces of experience from every country he has visited. It’s not just the “fellowship” title he carries, but also the knowledge, techniques, and sensitivity gained in the world of orthopedic surgery. From his laptop, he often explains in detail the surgical methods he has learned abroad.

Graduating as the top student from the Faculty of Medicine, Hang Tuah University, Surabaya, Glen continued his orthopedic specialization at the Philippine Orthopedic Center, one of Southeast Asia’s leading orthopedic institutions. He earned national recognition by ranking first in the country’s in-training examination for orthopedic residents.

From there, new doors opened. Glen was selected for the Hip & Knee Arthroplasty Fellowship at LMU Klinikum Großhadern, Munich, Germany—becoming the only Indonesian to pass the rigorous selection process. During the fellowship, he assisted in over a hundred hip and knee surgeries alongside European professors and surgeons. Every day, he handled instruments, documented techniques, and absorbed the philosophy of uncompromising precision.

“Being able to learn directly in operating rooms that handle hundreds of cases was an extraordinary experience,” he recalled.

His academic journey continued to Singapore, where he trained under Prof. Yeo Seng Jin at Singapore General Hospital. There, he studied Kinematic Alignment & ERAS for TKR/UKA—a technique that adjusts to each patient’s natural anatomy for more natural results and faster recovery. From the hundreds of cases he assisted, Glen saw firsthand how personalized alignment significantly improved patient comfort post-surgery.

“I learned that even the smallest detail can determine a patient’s recovery outcome,” he said.

Later, at OCM Munich under Prof. Robert Hube, Glen mastered muscle-sparing Total Hip Replacement (THR)—an innovative technique that avoids cutting muscles. Working alongside world-class experts, he participated in dozens of surgeries each week, perfecting the precision techniques he now applies in Surabaya.

His journey didn’t stop there. At CHU Toulouse, France, Glen deepened his expertise in Biologic ACL Reconstruction under Prof. Etienne Cavaignac, focusing on helping athletes recover quickly and safely. This year, he is also set to complete the Orthoregeneration Fellowship in Poznań, Poland, studying cutting-edge regenerative therapies for knee joints.

Each fellowship left a mark—not just in certificates, but in skills and clinical sensitivity.

“I’ve learned that patients everywhere share the same hope—to recover quickly and return to an active life,” Glen reflected.

Upon returning to Indonesia, he brought that spirit into the operating rooms of National Hospital Surabaya. Together with the orthopedic team, Glen implemented the ERAS (Enhanced Recovery After Surgery) concept, enabling patients to walk sooner, go home faster, and resume activities earlier, all without relying on costly robotic technology.

This method has now become the new standard for knee and hip surgeries at the hospital. The results are transformative—many patients recover within days, marking a paradigm shift from conventional surgery to a modern, patient-centered approach.

Beyond his clinical work, Glen is also an international journal reviewer and a contributor to global orthopedic research. For him, research and writing are integral to the medical profession.

“Medicine never stops evolving. Once you stop learning, you fall behind,” he said.

That philosophy now guides every step he takes in the operating room. From hundreds of surgeries abroad to patients in Surabaya, Dr. Glen Purnomo continues to prove one thing:

Learning from the world to help Indonesian patients take lighter, more confident steps—through modern surgical methods.