FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Kristy Radcliffe

Phone: +1 (630) 375-1432

Email: Kristy@isass.org

 

ISASS positions as premier academic Society for spine surgeons across the Globe

Las Vegas – April 18, 2016 – Over 850 spine surgeons, scientists, researchers, and exhibitors from more than 40 countries attended the International Society for the Advancement of Spine Surgery (ISASS) 16^th annual meeting April 6-8 in Las Vegas, NV. Over 530 abstracts were submitted spanning all aspects of surgical spine care– minimally invasive spine surgery; cervical spine; lumbar spine; pediatric spine; tumor, trauma, infection, and imaging; adult spinal deformity; biomechanics; value and outcomes in spine surgery; and innovative technologies.

“The ISASS annual meeting remains dedicated to the aim of advancing spine surgery from a global perspective,” said Domagoj Coric, MD, ISASS Overall Program Chair. “One of the highlights of the meeting is the opportunity to network with international surgeons and researchers as well as industry to improve spinal surgical outcomes for our patients in an evidence-based fashion.”

ISASS announced awards for best overall paper, best clinical paper, best basic science paper, best poster, and the Kostiuk Innovation Award during the annual meeting. This year’s awards recipients reflect the diversity of ISASS membership as a whole –varying and distinct backgrounds, research interests and home practices with a shared conviction to advance the science of spine surgery and maximize patient outcomes. This year’s winners include:

 

 Best Overall Paper, The ISASS Leon Wiltse Award

The Positive Effect of Continued Motion of a Cervical Artificial Disc Replacement on Radiographic Adjacent Level Degeneration at Long Term Follow-Up

Presenting Author: Jeffrey Spivak, MD, New York University, White Plains, NY, USA

 

Best Clinical Paper, The Charles D. Ray Award

Long Term Experience with Reduction Technique in High Grade Spondylolisthesis in the Young

Presenting Author: Sudarshan Pramod, MBBS, MS, Apollo Hospital, Orthopedics, Chennai, India

 

Best Basic Science Paper

Sagittal Balance Considerations In Planning Multilevel Cervical Intervention: Effect of Arthroplasty vs. Fusion on Adjacent Segment Motions

Presenting Author: Saeed Khayatzadeh, PhD, Edward Hines Jr. VA Hospital, Hines, IL, USA

 

Best Poster

Disc Gene Therapy: Development of a Novel Inducible System to Regulate Expression of the Therapeutic Transgene TIMP1

Presenting Author: Zhihua Ouyang, Spinal Surgery Department, First Affiliated Hospital of Nanhua University. Hengyang, China

 

Kostuik Innovation Award

The Incidence of Adjacent Segment Disease and Index Level Revision and Outcomes of Secondary Surgical Intervention Following Single Level Lumbar Total Disc Replacement

Presenting Author: Matthew Scott-Young, MBBS, FRACS, FAOrthA, Gold Coast Spine, Southport, Queensland, Australia

 

During the meeting, Hee Kit Wong, MD, Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery at the National University of Singapore assumed the presidency of ISASS from outgoing president, Gunnar Andersson, MD, PhD, Emeritus of the Department of Orthopedic Surgery at Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL, USA. Dr. Wong’s term will run through April 2017.

“It is an exciting time for ISASS; we continue to grow, remaining always adaptable, motivated and responsive to our members and the patients they treat,” said Gunnar Andersson, MD, PhD, outgoing ISASS President. “The world of spine surgery is rapidly evolving and I am positive that attendees of ISASS16 left with new ideas and information that will assist them in their own research and practice.”

“The ISASS annual meeting is truly a global forum for innovation in spine care,” said Hee Kit Wong, MD, incoming ISASS President. “I am honored to serve as President of ISASS in 2016-2017 and look forward to widening our presence to bolster our international reach.”

Attendees also heard from Presidential Guest Speaker, Lt. Col. Allen West, a twenty-year Army veteran, former Congressman, political commentator and the current Executive Director of the National Center for Policy Analysis. Lt. Col. West urged ISASS members to become actively involved in “repairing the spine of the country.” He broke down some of the ramifications of the Affordable Care Act and explored health policy across the board. Surgeons, he said, must make their voices heard in policy. Expertise, not expediency, must determine the care patients receive.

 

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