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NASS brings more surgical, nonsurgical content to annual meeting
At the North American Spine Society Annual Meeting, being held from Sept. 25-28, 2019, in Chicago, attendees can anticipate in a program that has more surgical and nonsurgical content than in past years.
“We have the latest cutting-edge research presentations, both surgical and nonsurgical, and so anyone who comes [is] going to get all the latest and greatest research and contemporary management for our patients,” Jeffrey C. Wang, MD, president of NASS, professor of orthopedic surgery at the Keck School of Medicine of USC and co-director of the USC Spine Center, told Healio.com/Orthopedics.
Wide range of surgical, nonsurgical topics
From the surgical aspect, Wang noted surgical demonstrations will be held on Friday, Sept. 27, where leading spine surgeons will perform a range of live operations on cadavers.
“This is a session where the cadaveric lab demonstration is occurring on site, where the audience will be able to interact with the faculty, as well as the moderators, on the nuances and intricacies of the procedure so they can also get some in-depth knowledge and training on those procedures,” Patrick C. Hsieh, MD, international council director of NASS and co-chair of the annual meeting, said.
Wang added attendees will be able to learn the latest surgical techniques by participating in cadaver labs in the exhibit hall.
“I am excited about the endoscopic surgery,” Wang said. “Endoscopic surgery for the spine is popular internationally. It is not popular here in the United States for various reasons, some of which are political, but it is definitely catching fire and we are going to have endoscopic pre-courses, as well as endoscopic cadaver courses, throughout the meeting.”
On Saturday, Sept. 28, Hsieh noted there will be a symposium focused on sports-related injuries, which will feature a lecture Allen Sills, MD, chief medical officer of the National Football League.
“Traditionally, Saturday has not been a focus of the program but this year, we have the NFL speakers, as well as topics on sports injuries, that will be relevant to spine care,” Hsieh told Healio.com/Orthopedics.
On the nonoperative side, Wang said the program features courses and symposia on pain management, injections and spinal cord stimulators, as well as other nonoperative treatments, during the course of the day.
“[Attendees will not] have to look for [the nonoperative courses],” Wang said. “[The nonoperative courses are] always going to be there, and [attendees are] going to have something every minute of every day that is going to pique [their] interest and make it worthwhile for [them] to actually be here.”
Maximized attendee experience
Hsieh said he hopes attendees will enjoy the meeting and will have “maximized their time in terms of gaining knowledge and developing professional relationships” with other attendees. Wang added he hopes attendees can see the changes occurring within the organization and feel that this year’s meeting was the greatest meeting to date.
“I certainly hope that we set the stage as far as the philosophy of making sure that we take care of the attendees’ needs,” Wang said. “We have not been doing it as well in the past ... but it has not hurt NASS because the attendance has always been high. It has always been considered the major meeting and all the companies come and exhibit, but now we are going to meet our reputation.” – by Casey Tingle
Disclosures: Wang reports he receives royalties from Biomet, Seaspine, Amedica and Synthes; has investments/options in Bone Biologics, Pearldiver, Electrocore and Surgitech; is on the board of directors for the North American Spine Society, AO Foundation, Cervical Spine Research Society, Society for Brain Mapping and Therapeutics, and American Orthopaedic Association; receives fellowship funding from AO Foundation; and is on the editorial board for Spine, The Journal of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, Clinical Spine Surgery and Global Spine Journal. Hsieh reports no relevant financial disclosures.