International SPINAL CORD society

REPORTS FROM AFFILIATED SOCIETIES - 2007

American Paraplegia Society (APS):

Last year's APS meeting had about 200 doctors and 500 others - including nurses and psychosocial who attended. They have a Strategic Planning Group that is going to look into merging various activities. In 2009 ASIA and APS will meet together in Dallas.

The website is: www.apssci.org

August 11 - 13 2008:
54th Annual Meeting of the American Paraplegia Society (APS)
Gaylord Palms Resort, Orlando, USA
www.apssci.org
Dr I Perkash
Inder.perkash@med.va.gov

ASIA (American Spinal Injuries Association) 2007

WELL ATTENDED IN TAMPA, FLORIDA:

The thirty-third Annual Scientific Meeting of ASIA was held from May 30-June 2 at the Grand Hyatt Tampa Bay in Tampa, Florida. In spite of a half day of torrential rain from a tropical depression that crossed the Florida peninsula at Tampa Bay, everything about this year’s meeting was a complete success!

Over 325 attendees enjoyed the program, which included a pre-course on Outcomes Measurement in Research, followed by the G Heiner Sell Memorial Lectureship by Dr Arthur Prochazka, the presentation of two Lifetime Achievement Awards to Drs Robert L Waters and Gale G Whiteneck, 11 General Sessions of papers, 5 Instructional Courses, and two special Symposiums. Approximately 45 scientific posters rounded out the program.

The 2008 Annual Scientific Meeting will be held at the Loews Coronado Bay Resort in San Diego, California. The pre-course will be held on June 19th, with the ASIA meeting to follow from June 20th-22nd. The call for abstracts, courses, and special sessions will be posted on the ASIA web site by mid-July. Mark your calendars and plan to attend and participate in the ASIA meeting next year.

June 19 -22, 2008:
34th Annual Scientific Meeting of ASIA
Loews Coronado Bay Resort
San Diego, California, USA
Pat_Duncan@shepherd.org
www.asia-spinalinjury.org
Dr A Jackson
jacksona@uab.edu

Australian and New Zealand Spinal Cord Society (ANZSCoS):

2007 ANZSCoS Annual Scientific Meeting

ANZSCoS - Maximising Potential for Life

The 2007 Annual Scientific Meeting of the Australian and New Zealand Spinal Cord Society (ANZSCoS) was held at the Four Seasons Hotel in Sydney from the 1st to the 3rd of November 2007. It was opened by Her Excellency Professor Marie Bashir AC CVO, Governor of New South Wales and attracted 250 participants and a further 53 trades and observer registrants.

The visiting Keynote Speakers, Professor Peter Wing and Jean Minkel as well as speakers from Australia including; Professors Philip Siddall, Simon Gandevia , Louise Alda, Ashley Craig and Greg Murphy inspired the meeting by their presentations on a wide range of topics. These included; Management During the First 72 hours after SCI, Seating, Management of europathic Pain, Respiratory Complications of SCI, Psychosocial Care and Fitness Training of Spinal Cord Injured Individuals and Barriers to Workforce Participation.

The three-day programme featured very successful short (2min) poster presentation sessions, a forum on Workforce Participation (which featured consumer and employer perspectives on the subject) and individual discipline related meetings. There were 37 platform presentations, 29 posters and four workshops which were held on the last day of the meeting. The workshop topics were; "The First 72 Hours Post Spinal Cord Injury", "Approaches to Fitness and Strength Training", "Supine to Sitting - Figuring Out a Functional Posture", "Psychosocial Care and the Treating Team". A breakfast meeting focusing on at the multidisciplinary approach to treatment of neuropathic pain and the Australian Spinal Cord Injury Register annual directors meeting were also held.

The Australian and New Zealand Spinal Cord Injury Network was launched by the Hon Verity Firth MP, NSW Minister for Science and Medical Research and the public lecture by Professor Wing entitled "Spinal Cord Injury -Immediate Care and Long-Term Hopes" was received with great interest by the large number of government and community representatives invited to the launch. Pre-conference workshops ("Designing and Coordinating Clinical Trials", ICECI coding and ethnographic analysis training workshop) and a post conference workshop entitled "The Psychosocial Care of People with Spinal Cord Injury for Specialist Mental Health Practitioners" were organised in association with this meeting.

The multiple opportunities for networking and informal socialising at conference receptions and meals as well as the location on Sydney Harbour near the Opera House and the city centre made for a lively and very enjoyable experience for us all. The Sydney Organizing Committee would like to thank all the participants, presenters and sponsors for making ANZSCoS 2007 a great success and we extend best wishes to the Christchurch Organising committee for the ANZSCoS 2008 ASM in November 26-28.

On behalf of the Organising Committee: Stella Engel, Chair Organising Committee, ANZSCoS 2007

November 26 - 28, 2008:
2008 ANZSCoS Annual Scientific Meeting
Christchurch, New Zealand
www.conference.co.nz/index.cfm/ANZSCoS
Dr S Engel
stella.engel@sesiahs.health.nsw.gov.au

CARDP-SoSCI (Chinese Association of Rehabilitation of Disabled Persons - Society of Spinal Cord Injury):

2006

Training course of Neuro-urology endorsed by the International Incontinence Society, 24-26 September. Beijing

Annual Scientific Meeting of CARP-SOSCI, 2-5 November in conjunction with China SCI Network, Hong Kong University, Guangzhou.

2007

Annual Scientific Meeting of CARP-SOSCI, 10-12 August, Jinan, Shandong Province.

2008

Annual Scientific Meeting of CARP-SOSCI, scheduled for October, exact date not fixed.

Dr D Wang
dajuewang@btopenworld.com

International Dutch Flemmish Spinal Cord Society (DUFSCoS):

NVDG - Nederlands-Vlaams Dwarslaesie Genootshap

The 12th Annual Meeting was held on 21 April 2007 in Utrecht. Almost 300 attendees participate in the programme which was titled: From goal to result. Multi-disciplinary teams from all Dutch and Flemish Spinal Cord Centres participate in the discussions during the day.

During the Annual Meeting the 2nd Edition of the Handbook Spinal Cord Injury Rehabilitation (Dutch language), edited by Dr F van Asbeck was presented.

During the year every discipline related working group (MD’s, P.Th, OT, social workers, psychologists, managers, nurses) had their own 3 meetings. These meetings are divided in a scientific part and an organizational part.

Separate scientific meetings were held by the working groups.

A yearly exchange of nurses of the different SCI centres took place.

The next Annual Meeting is on 12th April 2008 in Heerlen and is about Challenges in offers, reflections on the borders of Spinal Cord Injury rehabilitation.

Dr Dirk (HJM) van Kuppevelt
d.vankuppevelt@maartenskliniek.nl

SASCA (Southern African Spinal Cord Association):

2006

During 2006 SASCA Executive Committee members had four teleconference meetings and an Executive Contact meeting held on 22 April 2006. At the Executive Contact meeting feedback from the subcommittees was given - viz Finance, website, education committees and congress committee. From this meeting the most important decision made was to set up a strategy workshop to outline where SASCA was moving, what our short term and long term strategies would involve and to try to crystallize a long term strategy for the organization. This meeting was held on 3/10/06. Our strategy going forward was clearly defined and it has become apparent that we would like to become more closely affiliated and involved with the National Department of Health. This, it was felt, was particularly important with the upcoming ISCOS congress to be held in South Africa in 2008. Contacts have been made and relationships forged where we hope to get a "buy in" from the National Department of Health as a strategic partner to SASCA. We hope to attract and involve role players from the rest of southern Africa in our drive to bring acceptable acute and chronic care to those individuals that have suffered a spinal cord injury.

Workshops:

A Spasticity Workshop was held in Gauteng in September 2006. This was well attended by representatives from all disciplines.

Cape Region: A 2 day Workshop on the 27th and 28th November 2006 on SCI overview from acute medical management to acute and ongoing interventions in rehabilitation. This was attended by 60 delegates.

2007

Again 4 teleconference meetings giving feedback from all sub committees was held during the year. A combined SASCA and SANRA (South Africa Neurorehabilitation Association) congress was held from the 5th to the 7th September 2008. International speakers (Dr Ruth Marshall - Australia, Ms Amy Bohn (OT) - USA and Prof Oliver Turnbull were invited speakers. The congress covered a wide range of topics from Urological care in the spinal injury to Osteoporosis and upper limb management. A contact meeting of the old executive was held on the 5th September where feedback once again was given by all subcommittees. Our AGM was held on the 6th September where a new Executive Committee was elected. The members are as follows:

Workshops:

The following workshops were held:

Gauteng. This was held on 28th June 2007. Topics covered were the ASIA scales, gait retraining in SCI, and advanced transfers and independence in the higher tetraplegics. There were approximately 20 delegates.

Durban Region. This was held on 21 July 2007 attended by 14 people. Topic - The Impact of Disability on Sexuality.

Proposed. A workshop on the use of Botox will be held in Cape Town on 19th October 2007.

August 29 - Sept 3, 2008:
47th ISCoS Annual Scientific Meeting
Durban, South Africa
www.iscos.org.uk or www.iscos2008.org.za
Dr E Baalbergen
ebaalbergen@ucthospital.co.za

Spanish Society of Paraplegia (SEP):

XXIV Jornadas Nacionales de la Sociedad Española de Paraplejía (SEP) were celebrated in Coruña (Spain) last 20th, 21st and 22nd June 2007, with the following presentations:

It is necessary to emphasize the participation of professionals; doctors, nursing, occupational therapists, psychologists, researchers.

At the same meeting it was decided the next host city for the XXV Jornadas Nacionales de la SEP that will take place in Bilbao with the following subjects as central presentations:

June 5 - 6, 2008:
Symposium Spinal Cord Injury: Regeneration and Rehabilitation
Barcelona, Spain.
guttmann@activacongresos.com
www.activacongresos.com
Dr J Vidal Samso
jvidal@guttmann.com

SLAP (Latin American Society of Paraplegia):

2007 Activities:

XII Latin America Paraplegia Society Meeting

It was organized some special sessions about Spinal Cord Injury inside CINDOR - Pain and Functional Rehabilitation Congress of School of Medicine of University of São Paulo, to be organized in 10-12th May, São Paulo - Brazil.

We had 35 participants and the main theme was Neurophatic Pain and three cases were discussed for five different specialists. The meeting was partially successful, because only Brazilian doctors and health professional participated and there was not participation of people of other countries of members of Latin America.

2008 Activities:

XIII Latin America Paraplegia Society Meeting

Some special sessions about Spinal Cord Injury inside XXIII AMLAR (Latin America PM & Rehabilitation Society) Congress and XIII Congress of South Cone (Regional PM & Rehabilitation Meeting of Brazil, Uruguay, Paraguay, Chile and Argentina), in November, October 27-30th 2008, in Punta del Este, Uruguay.

Tentative Program

Dr William Donovan had been invited and confirmed his participation. To achieve the objectives I would like to have some support from ISCoS. My solicitations are: get sponsorship for Dr William Donovan in the SLAP future activity in Uruguay. The sponsorship will be for air tickets and hotel.

We already have confirmations of many Latin America doctor’s participation: Brazil, Uruguay, Paraguay, Colombia, Venezuela and Argentina. SLAP and AMLAR will organize the meeting with Scientific Committee and divulgate in all Latin America countries participants of SLAP.

October 27 - 30, 2008:
XXIII Congress of Medical Latin America Rehabilitation Society
XIII "Cono Sur" Journey of Physycal Medicine & Rehabilitation
XI Meeting of Latin America Society of Paraplegia
Punta del Este, Uruguary, Hotel Conrad Casino & Resort
Secretariaamlar2008@congresoselis.com.uy
www.amlar2008.org.uy
Dr Julia Maria D’Andrea Greve
jgreve@terra.com.br

Spinal Cord Society - Indian Chapter:

ISSICON-2007 was organized from 23rd to 25th February 2007. The theme of the conference was "Past, Present and Future of Spinal Injuries & Spine Disorders". The Conference was organized at Sayaji Hotel, Indore. Dr Perkash Bangani, Chairman of Arihant Hospital was the Organizing Chairman and Dr D K Taneja, Medical Director of Arihant Hospital was the Organizing Secretary. 7 International faculties, 12 National faculties and 282 delegates registered for the conference.

There were 4 pre conference workshops. A pre conference workshop on "Surgical Management of Spinal Injury" was organized on 23rd February for which Dr Ashwini Saran, Dr Patrick Kluger and Dr Hans Erli were the guest faculties. 76 delegated attended this workshop. Live demonstration of four surgeries was done. There was a hands on workshop on bone models.

On 22nd February there was a pre conference workshop on "Physiotherapy Management of Spinal Cord Injury" where in 157 delegates participated. Dr Vinod Sehgal, Cleveland Clinic, USA was the guest faculty. A symposium on "Management of Neurologenic bladder" was organized on 23rd February wherein Dr Jean Jacques Wyndaele was the guest faculty. A meeting for spinal injury patients was also held on 22nd February wherein 80 spinal injured participated. A patient support group was launched during the meeting. Various spinal injured brought out how they had been able to accept the challenge and come back to a normal life style.

The main conference had sessions on "Prehospital Management", "Acute Management of SCI", "Management of Associated Injuries in SCI", "Comprehension of SCI", "Conservative and Surgical Management of SCI", Spinal Cord Society Oration, "Management of Associated Complications of SCI", "Management of Prolapse Intervertebral Disc", "Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery", "Management of Neurogenic Bladder", "Fertility in SCI", "Sexual Rehabilitation of SCI", " A Spinal Cord Injury Clinical Trial and the factors confounding the interpretation of trial results", "Spinal Deformities, "Recent trends in management of SCI", SCI in children", "Bowel Management", "Pressure Sore Prevention and Management", "Psychosocial Management of SCI". In addition there were sessions on "Best Published paper award" and "SCS Gold Medial Awards for best paper and best poster presenter".

A lot of awareness was generated not only amongst the professionals but also in the community and the media. There were more than 15 articles in the media about the conference and spinal injuries.

February 22 - 24 2008:
International Spine & Spinal Injuries Conference (ISSICON)
New Delhi, India
issicon@isiconline.org or drhschhabra@isiconline.org
www.scs-isic.com
Dr H S Chhabra
isic@nda.vsnl.net.in