Newswise — Schaumburg, IL, Sept. 10, 2013 – The Congress of Neurological Surgeons (CNS) will debut a new Innovation and Technology Symposium at its Annual Meeting, October 19-23, 2013, at the Moscone West Convention Center in San Francisco. Neurosurgery Innovations (October 19, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.) offers neurosurgeons and industry-leading medical device companies the opportunity to collaborate in an open forum on new technologies and innovations fueling the advancement of neurosurgery.

In a first-of-its-kind gathering for CNS, neurosurgeons, lead engineers, researchers and CEOs will gather in one place to discuss breakthrough technologies and devices in cerebrovascular/endovascular, spine and brain tumor procedures. Key thought leaders in device technology, imaging, biomaterials, molecular diagnostics and regenerative medicine will present new research and ideas that are moving the neurosurgery field forward.

“Some of these technologies have never been seen before,” said CNS Course Director Brian L. Hoh, MD. “Much of the innovation we will see and discuss at this session could have a dramatic impact on the way neurosurgery and related procedures are performed in the future.”

Ashwini D. Sharan, MD, CNS Annual Meeting Scientific Program Chairman, said, “Neuromedicine is among the most rapidly growing areas in surgery and medicine. This unique and revealing forum will allow neurosurgeons and technologists to identify the gaps between neurosurgeons’ current needs and the technologies and devices being designed and offered today. It is crucial for industry to reduce the lag time between innovative R&D and medical device production and introduction to the marketplace.”

This new symposium is being presented in part through a generous partnership with Medtronic. In addition to presenting during the symposium, leaders from Medtronic’s R&D team will offer a glimpse into the future with a lunchtime talk titled, “Emerging Translational Tools for the Exploration of Neurological Disease.” Corporate researchers from other major medical device manufacturers will also be among the presenters, sharing technologies they have in the R&D pipeline and allowing neurosurgeons to provide insightful feedback about the needs they encounter today in the operating suite.

“We recognize the importance of strong collaborative relationships with the neurosurgery community as we strive to find solutions for our customers around the world,” said David Simon, Ph.D., Senior Director of Research and Technology at Medtronic ST Neurosurgery. “It is through innovation in technology that we will achieve our goal of helping our customers improve patient care. We are eager to support the CNS in its endeavor to bring such innovation into the spotlight, and we look forward to providing a peek into our vision of the future.”

Ali R. Rezai, MD, CNS President, added, “Continued collaboration between medical professionals and industry ensures that our focus as physicians remains on the best possible patient outcomes. This symposium is an essential step towards changing the way medical care is delivered in the United States and, ultimately, throughout the world.”

The CNS Annual Meeting is an essential destination for learning about the medical advances in the field of neurosurgery. Register now at www.cns.org for the opportunity to participate in this must-attend Innovation and Technology Symposium, plus numerous additional cutting-edge educational sessions and networking opportunities.

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About the Congress of Neurological Surgeons The Congress of Neurological Surgeons (CNS) is the largest neurosurgical society in the world and the global leader in neurosurgical education, serving to promote health by advancing neurosurgery worldwide through innovation and excellence in education. With more than 8,000 members worldwide, the CNS provides global leadership in neurosurgery by inspiring and facilitating scientific discovery and its translation into clinical practice. The Congress of Neurological Surgeons maintains the vitality of the profession through volunteer efforts of its members and the development of leadership in service to the public, to colleagues in other disciplines, and to neurosurgeons throughout the world in all stages of their professional lives. For more information, visit www.cns.org.