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Tri-Cities nonprofit sends surgical equipment to war-torn Ukraine to heal broken bones
Tri-City Herald, March 2022

Enough medical equipment to treat 100 people injured in the war in Ukraine is wending its way toward the country’s capital city of Kyiv. It comes from the nonprofit SIGN Fracture Care in Richland, Wash.

SIGN may be better known for providing the education and implant systems needed to heal broken bones in the poor in third-world countries. But with the Russian invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24, orthopedic surgeons there also need SIGN Fracture Care’s help for those with bones broken by shrapnel from bombs and gunfire.

Read More…

Dr. Lewis Zirkle demonstrating SIGN Instruments

SIGN is training surgeons and providing tools for life-changing operations across the world
NBC Right Now, May 2021

For the last 22 years the team at SIGN Fracture Care in Richland has been engineering implant materials for broken bones, and training surgeons in poverty stricken hospital rooms across the world.  

"What I loved about the mission of SIGN is that it’s intention was to equip the local surgeons so that they could do the surgery, I felt like that was a sustainable solution," Jeanne Diller, SIGN CEO tells NBC Right Now.  Watch and Read More…

TRAUMA HEALERS: Saving Lives, Limbs, and Livelihoods in low-resource countries

TRUAMA HEALERS
Premieres May 4, 2021

TRAUMA HEALERS, an hour-long documentary, focusing on healing and prevention of traumatic orthopedic injuries in low resource countries, premieres on national public television, May 4, 2021. The film explores the prevalence and impact of traffic accident injuries in parts of the world that have been underserved for decades.

TRAUMA HEALERS highlights the work of international global health experts, including the pioneering work of Vietnam veteran Lewis G. Zirkle, M.D. who founded SIGN Fracture Care in 1999. Based in Richland, WA, SIGN manufactures orthopedic implants and offers free hands-on training to international surgeons. During the past 20 years, SIGN surgeons in 54 countries have successfully treated nearly 350,000 patients. Learn More…

woman standing with support of a walker in a busy hospital ward

How SIGN Saves Lives
Quest Integration, October 2019

SIGN partners with 350 hospitals, helping more than 25,000 people every year. “We design, manufacture and distribute orthopedic implants and surgical instruments to treat trauma patients for long-bone fractures,” SIGN Engineering Manager, Terry Smith said.

Quest is proud to support SIGN in their mission “to create equality of fracture care throughout the world”. Read more…

surgeon practices a procedure to heal limb deformities with simulated bones

Conference in Richland teaches surgeons around the world new techniques
NBC Right Now, September 2019

“These techniques are very complex and yet it can be very simple as well," said Dr. Jun Valera who is an Orthopedic surgeon from the Philippines. "So to learn the nitty-gritty even the small details are very important because when we go back and do it to actual patients there is no room for error.” Watch and read more…

SIGN Surgeons from Nigeria stand in front of their hospital with surgeon from Portland, Oregon

Igbobi Hospital partners international experts on limb deformity
Vanguard News, Nigeria, June 2019

“We are happy to have the programme here in Nigeria,” said Dr. Mustapha Alimi, the Medical Director of Igbobi Orthopedic Hospital. We had one this year and we are still going to be having one by July, and we are going to bring international resourceful persons to show us things that we need to know. And they are going to use our own tools. That will increase the capacity of our services.” Read more…

Two employees stand in front of a tv screen showing statistics about SIGN

Improved database enables new analytical capabilities for Richland manufacturer
Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business, September 2018

“During the nearly 20 years that SIGN Fracture Care International has been treating patients worldwide, the company’s vast network of surgeons has logged more than 120,000 entries into SIGN’s case database, an invaluable tool studied daily by company founder Dr. Lewis Zirkle to better understand the needs of his surgeons and patients.” Read more…

surgeons practice new techniques on human tissue in Bioskills Lab at the annual SIGN Conference

A unique donation will help this Richland group heal broken bones in far-off lands
Tri-City Herald, August 2018

“SIGN surgeons have treated over 220,000 patients, and education is imperative as we continue to pursue innovative training methods to treat more complex fractures,” Zirkle said in a statement. “These patients would have severe disabilities from a simple fracture without the hands-on knowledge facilitated by Science Care’s cadavers, and we couldn’t be more grateful for their support.” Read more…

James Mattis presents the Department of Defence Medal for Distinguished Public Service to Dr. Lewis Zirkle

Secretary of Defense James Mattis comes home to give local doctor a medal
NBC Right Now, February 2018

“I just have to say, Dr. Zirkle, that you’re a part of the inspiration,” said Secretary Mattis. “You’re part of the reason America will stay a great country because you prove we’re a very, very good country. We’re obviously proud in the Department of Defense, too, to say that your unfailing sense of kindness and purpose grew out of the traumas of war.” Read more…