In Memoriam

Dr. Walter P. Bobechko, renowned pediatric orthopaedic surgeon, passed away in Dallas, Texas on January 6th, 2007 at the age of 74.

Wally graduated from the University of Toronto School of Medicine in 1957 and trained in orthopaedic surgery in Toronto and then at the Mayo Clinic, finishing in 1963. He was awarded a McLaughlin traveling fellowship which allowed him to pursue further training in Kurgan, Russia at Ilizarov’s Institute, and in Goteborg, Sweden where he studied biomechanics with Dr. Carl Hirsch. Wally then returned to the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto where he practiced the full spectrum of pediatric orthopaedics and, over the years, developed a strong special interest in spinal deformity. He was awarded the George Armstrong Peters Prize in surgery by the University of Toronto and was selected as an ABC and SICOT traveling fellow. He developed a world-wide reputation, largely due to his contributions in spinal deformity correction, and saw patients from many countries. He spent 10 years as the Chief of the hospital’s Division of Orthopaedic Surgery before leaving Toronto in 1987.

With his interest in engineering and his innovative mind Wally had a number of ideas that he developed into practical treatments in pediatric orthopaedics. At a time when most children with Perthes disease were spending months in plaster casts with consequent knee stiffness he developed the Toronto brace which allowed movement at the knees, improved mobility, and allowed the child to remove the brace for physical therapy. Based on the thought that idiopathic scoliosis was the result of muscle imbalance he demonstrated that producing a compensatory imbalance in the opposite direction by a muscle pacemaker could result in improvement. In order to overcome the tendency of the upper hook of the Harrington Rod system to dislodge from the lamina Wally and his son developed a double-hook system which not only avoided that complication but allowed broader distribution of the distraction force.

The scores of fellows who trained under him remark upon his extraordinary efficiency in assessing patients, his technical skill in the operating room, and his ability to go a whole day without lunch. His ability to see up to 70 clinic patients in a half day and not miss a diagnosis was uncanny. His surgical techniques were spread around the world by the fellows he trained.

The last 20 years of his career were spent at the Advanced Surgical Institute of Medical City Dallas where he became the Director of Pediatric Orthopaedics. His continuing contributions included the planning and development of a Spinal Institute in Moscow, Russia. His outstanding career has been formally recognized by many universities, hospitals and associations.

Wally will not be remembered in shades of grey. He was straightforward and outspoken and there was never difficulty discovering where he stood on an issue. He wore his feelings and his opinions on his sleeve and, at times, was larger than life. When he felt that the world needed to know about his double hook system he presented it on the television show “That’s Incredible”. When he became disenchanted with the policies and pace of the Canadian system for funding research he did not hesitate to express his feelings in plain terms in the public press. When Pope John Paul II visited Canada in 1984 he blessed Wally’s Cobb elevators.

Recounting Dr. Bobechko’s achievements conceals his softer side. It was clear to his friends and colleagues that his top priority and his greatest reward was the love of his life, Mary, and his five children. He combined one of his favorite activities, scuba diving with his family, with an interest in undersea medicine. He was 110% (his term) supportive of his colleagues and staff and those who worked with him will remember him as a strong friend and mentor.