FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 3, 1998
CONTACT:
Barbara Peck
(847) 692-9500
The American Association Of Neurological Surgeons To Hold 66th Annual Meeting In Philadelphia
The American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS) will hold its 66th Annual Meeting April 25 - 30, 1998 at the Pennsylvania Convention Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The meeting will bring together more than 5,000 neurosurgeons, neurological residents, neuroscience nurses, clinical specialists, physician assistants and allied health professionals.
Neurological surgery is the medical specialty concerned with the diagnosis and treatment of disorders affecting the nervous system, brain, spinal column and spinal cord and includes brain tumors, severe head injuries, stroke, aneurysms, and pain management. The AANS Annual Meeting is the largest gathering of neurosurgeons in the world and focuses on the latest research and advances in the field.
The Scientific Program, which will include two Plenary Sessions, 16 Scientific Sessions, 131 research papers, and 550 poster exhibits, begins on Monday, April 27 at 9:45 a.m. Some of the highlights of the Scientific Sessions include: the release of a long-term outcome study on pallidotomy patients; results of clinical trials on transplanting fetal pig cells in Parkinsonian patients; presentation of preliminary results of new treatments in the battle against brain tumors, recognizing patterns of head injuries in child abuse; and more.
The first major presentation of the meeting will be a special lecture by the Decade of the Brain Medalist Ronald McKay, PhD, of the Laboratory of Molecular Biology in the Basic Neuroscience Program of the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, on Monday, April 27. Dr. McKay's presentation is entitled "From Stem Cells to Circuits, Early Steps in Brain Development" and he will focus on neuron replacement therapies for neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson's and Huntington's Diseases. Neuronal grafting may also someday be used to treat spinal cord and head injuries and tumors.
On Tuesday, April 28, Gary C. Ferguson, MD, will lead a discussion on the final results of the North American Symptomatic Carotid Endarterectomy Trial (NASCET). This 12-year study has proven that when the carotid arteries in the neck are more than 50 percent blocked a surgical procedure to remove those fatty deposits reduces the patients risk of stroke significantly.
Also on Tuesday, Nobel Prize winning scientist Eric Weischaus, PhD, of Princeton University will appear as the Cushing Orator, speaking on the topic, "What Fly Genes Can Tell Us About How Human Embryos Develop." Dr. Weischaus' presentation will show how understanding the behavior of genes and cell development can help researchers discover new methods of treating cancerous tumors.
Throughout Tuesday and Wednesday afternoon the various subspecialty Sections of the AANS will hold symposiums on specific aspects of neurosurgery including tumors, pediatrics, spine, cerebrovascular disease, trauma and pain.
New to this year's meeting are topic-specific satellite symposiums held before and after the official meeting begins. From April 23 -24, the country's leading experts in chronic pain management will gather at the Pennsylvania Convention Center to discuss spinal cord stimulation, spinal infusion pump and catheter therapy, deep brain stimulation, and the basic science behind pain neurotransmission. On Saturday, April 25, the Second Annual Pallidotomy Accord will be held at Princeton University and will address long term outcome results, patient selection, neuronal grafting and alternatives to surgical treatment for patients with Parkinson's Disease.
After the official close of the meeting, a special Tumor Symposium will take place on April 30 - May 1 at the convention center. Leading brain and spinal cord tumor experts will discuss outcomes of current tumor treatments and therapies that are currently being developed including gene therapy, vaccines and pharmacotherapeutic approaches.
To view the 1998 Annual Meeting press kit, please visit the on-line Press Room located in the Virtual Exhibit Hall at: http://server400.aans.org/VEH/mainhall2.html
Founded in 1931 as the Harvey Cushing Society, The American Association of Neurological Surgeons is a scientific and educational association, with approximately 5,000 members in the United States, Canada, Mexico, Europe and the Pacific Rim. It is dedicated to advancing the specialty of neurological surgery in order to provide the highest quality of neurosurgical care to the public. All active members must be certified by the American Board of Neurological Surgery.
For more information on the AANS, please visit our Web site at: www.neurosurgery.org
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