About GAF

The Global Arthroscopy Foundation, Inc. (GAF) was created in 2001 with the goal of expanding the use of arthroscopic surgery in nations in which medicine is less developed than the United States.

Dr. Howard Sweeney, GAF President, with Dr. Haiqing Cai, M.D., GAF Guest from Shanghai, China and associate at Evanston Hospital, Evanston, Illinois.

Using a surgical technique known as arthroscopic surgery, orthopedic surgeons in the United States and many industrialized nations are able to perform surgery on joints with far less risk of infection, little or no hospitalization, less need for physical therapy and shorter periods of reduced productivity. These surgical advances have revolutionized patient treatment in the United States, but have yet to be introduced or fully developed in many nations. Because of the lack of access to the far less invasive and less expensive arthroscopic procedures, many people in these countries go without needed medical care that could significantly improve the quality of their lives.

It is the vision of GAF that orthopedic surgeons in the United States share their very substantial expertise in arthroscopy with orthopedic surgeons in other nations at no cost to them or their patients, with the goal of expanding access to these surgical procedures for the patients these doctors serve.

For more details on our work with surgeons throughout the world, go to Our Work.