
The renowned doctor Ramon Cugat, specialist in Traumatology and Orthopedic Surgery, internationally recognised, especially in the sports field, recently took part in a colloquium at the Círculo Ecuestre.
After the welcome from the president of the Círculo Ecuestre, Enrique Lacalle, the pioneer in Spain in arthroscopic surgery and founder of the Spanish Arthroscopy Association (AEA), engaged in a conversation about his professional career with the journalist from La Vanguardia Víctor Amela, who acted as moderator of the event.
The dialogue began with Dr. Cugat's explanation of the use of platelet-rich plasma (PRP), a technique that has revolutionised regenerative medicine and that the García Cugat Foundation, which he founded in 2007, carries out with the utmost precision and study: “PRP is extracted from the patient's own blood by centrifugation, separating the platelet-rich plasma from the rest of the components. This plasma, activated with calcium, allows the regeneration of tissues such as cartilage, muscle or ligaments”, explained the expert, and then stressed the importance of personalizing the treatment: “Not all PRPs are the same. Depending on the tissue to be treated, we adjust the number of platelets and the activating substances to guarantee optimal results”. In this regard, the specialist emphasized the importance of testing on animal models before applying the treatments to humans: “We have worked with rabbits, sheep and other animals to study the behavior of PRP. In sheep, for example, we have shown that cartilage can be completely regenerated using growth factors from their own blood”.
Another of the topics discussed was the popular research on stem cells, about which Dr. Cugat was optimistic in terms of future advances: “Microvesicles within cells offer enormous potential. These could reverse osteoarthritis in the not-so-distant future”.
The holistic and humanistic vision of medicine was also present during the conversation. Dr. Cugat stressed that “the best doctor is oneself” and encouraged those present to take care of their health through moderate exercise, mental activity and emotional balance. “Retirement is the same as death if we do not stay active”, he stressed.
The colloquium also addressed the use of artificial intelligence in medicine. Dr. Cugat revealed that “the García Cugat Foundation is creating big data on cells and growth factors as a tool to optimize diagnoses and treatments”. He also ruled out the replacement of medical professionals by AI in the near future: “The doctor-patient relationship is irreplaceable. Trust and empathy are essential for the success of any treatment”. “Current technology does not surpass the skill of a surgeon’s hands”, he added.
The doctor wanted to conclude his participation in the business club event by highlighting the purpose of the García Cugat Foundation, which seeks to promote biomedical research and the clinical application of innovative treatments: “The Foundation works with an objective that is not for people to live longer, but for them to have a better quality of life and slow down their cellular aging”.
The talk concluded with a question and answer session in which attendees had the opportunity to interact with Dr. Cugat, who reaffirmed his commitment to cutting-edge medicine based on scientific rigor and comprehensive patient care.