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Executive Committee Interim Meeting 6/2/2019
The following actions were taken at the WNS EC meeting:
1. The meeting registration fee for 2019 will be raised to $1,300 per registrant which will as usual include the 3 breakfasts and three dinners for the registrant and a guest.
2. The Committee approved the locations for the 2021 and 2022 meetings which will be at the Hyatt Regency Tamaya resort outside Albequerque and the Fairmont Orchid on the big island of Hawaii respectively.
3. Confirmed that 30 members have been dropped from membership for failure to pay dues or have resigned.
4. Approved a fee of $150 for any member of the Arizona Neurosurgical Society who wishes to attend the opening reception in Scottsdale.
5. Confirmed that any senior member with greater than 35 years of membership does not have to pay annual dues and can attend the annual meeting for only a social registration fee of $800 for the member and a guest.
6. Approved the Awards Committee's choice of Dr. Robert Spetzler as the 2019 recipient of the Cloward Award and the choice of Dr. Regis Haid to deliver the Ablin lecture on Scottsdale.
7. Approved an increase in annual dues for active, non-active, provisional and associate members to $250/year and for senior and corresponding members to $50 beginning in 2020.
8. Noted the Nominating Committee's choices of Dr. David Pitkethly for President-Elect, Dr. Deborah Henry for Vice-President and Dr. Charles Nussbaum for Historian. The slate will be voted on at the annual meeting in November.
9. Approved the scientific program for the annual meeting presented by Dr. Laura Snyder, program Chairwoman. The program outline is presented elsewhere in this newsletter.
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WNS Members, Applicants and Guests:
We are excited to welcome you to the 65th annual meeting of the Western Neurosurgical Society. Our venue this year will be at the lovely Hyatt Regency at Gainey Ranch in Scottsdale, Arizona. Dr. Laura Snyder and the program committee have prepared a fabulous meeting that will cover many of the most exciting advances seen recently in neurosurgery.
This year, we are delighted to honor Dr. Robert Spetzler as the 2019 Cloward award recipient. We are also honored to have Dr. Regis Haid as our Ablin lecturer. Both will share their considerable experiences from their luminary careers. The meeting is jointly provided with the AANS and attendees will be eligible for CMEs.
As usual, the meeting will include three mornings of scientific paper presentation (Saturday, Sunday and Monday) with organized afternoon and evening activities available to enjoy with family and friends.
The resort is set amidst the lush Sonoran desert and next to historic Scottsdale. Sky Harbor International airport (PHX) in Phoenix is the closest airport, 18 miles from the resort. The peaceful resort also hosts amazing pools with a three-story slide, beach, gondola rides around the property and a world class golf course. A whole range of relaxing to exhilarating afternoon activities have also been organized in addition to golf and tennis, including hiking or biking in the magical Sonoran desert, cattle driving with real wranglers, guided tours of old Scottsdale and Taliesin West, home to celebrated architect, Frank Lloyd Wright. Activity details below.
On behalf of Dr. Scully and the entire executive committee, we look forward to seeing you at this year’s meeting.
Marco Lee, MD PhD
Secretary/Treasurer
The meeting registration form is available on the Western's Website in the forms menu item.
MOUNTAIN BIKING | Saturday, Nov 9th, 2019 12:45-4:45pm $140/pp
Enjoy the beautiful Scottsdale Sonoran Preserve, featuring 215 miles of trails,
on a sturdy 2l-speed mountain bike, an adventurous new way to explore the
desert that anyone can do! You'll be transported to the park trails where
you'll meet your professional guides who will entertain and inform you on
native plant life, wildlife and historical trivia while you gently bounce along on
your mountain bike, exploring some of the best scenery that Scottsdale has to
offer.
CATTLE DRIVE | Saturday, Nov 9th, 2019 12:45-4:45pm $213/pp
This authentic Old West adventure will satisfy the cowboy in every city
slicker’s heart. Fulfill your Wild West dreams in the mountainous terrain of
the rugged desert landscape. Accompanied by an experienced wrangler, we’ll
follow the trails in search of wayward cattle on an authentic cattle drive
through the Sonoran Desert. Become a cowhand for the day and ride the
open range to your heart’s content. Novice or pro, we’ve got the horse for
you paired to your riding ability.
SCOTTSDALE FOOD TOUR | Saturday, Nov 9th | 12:45-4:30pm $135/pp
You will have the opportunity to sample various cuisines from some of the
leading restaurants in the Old Town Scottsdale/5th Ave district. This walking and
dining adventure offers an overview of Scottsdale’s history as the West’s Most
Western Town and creates a culinary experience along the way, giving your guests a
tasting of the various distinctive food and wine selections from the area’s unique
restaurants and shops. It’s a progressive food experience that entertains, enlightens
and educates your guests!
HIKE THE SONORAN DESERT | Sunday, Nov 10th | 1-5pm $79/pp
Join us on a scenic hike through the Scottsdale Sonoran or the Phoenix
Preserve, encompassing thousands of acres and miles of trails in the
pristine Sonoran Desert. The preserves are close to the city, but remote
enough to allow visitors to experience the beauty and spacious vistas of
the foothills and mountain ranges known for their abundance of cactus,
wildlife and incredible desert scenery. You’ll follow an experienced guide
on a trail that winds through the area’s best collection of unique Sonoran
Desert flora and fauna so make sure to bring your camera. Please wear
closed toed, comfortable shoes. Sunblock, hats and cameras are suggested!
TOMKARS | Sunday, Nov 10th | 12:45-4:45pm $229/pp
This exciting excursion takes you deep into the Sonoran Desert on a one-of-
a-kind TOMKAR, a highly capable, military grade, off roading machine
originally designed for Israeli Defense Forces. Led by a world class
adventure guide, with extensive knowledge of the Arizona desert, you’ll
actually be able to drive the TomKar down the trails of this backcountry
area. You’ll also learn about the ancient culture that used to call the
reservation home, as well as the variety of desert plants and wildlife
native to the Southwest. Cruising through the rugged terrain of the
majestic mountains and foothills, you’ll come upon scenic views that showcase the mighty Saguaro cactus amidst the winding canyons – keep an eye out, you may even spot a coyote, wild burros or a herd of javalinas! Explore terrain that few have seen and enjoy the views as you gently roll down the trails into the Indian reservation. This is a great excursion that gives your guests the opportunity to drive an off-road vehicle into the Arizona back country. Please wear sturdy walking shoes, long pants or shorts (no skirts). A visor/hat and sunblock recommended.
TALIESIN, FLW’s SCHOOL of ARCHITECTURE TOUR | Sunday, Nov 10th | 1-4:30pm $79/pp
Follow us to the foothills of Frank Lloyd Wright's Taliesin West, the
architectural school and foundation of the legendary master. You'll look in
on his architects of tomorrow and their blueprints for the future and view
a slide show highlighting the past works created by Mr. Wright. During
this 90-minute tour, you’ll visit the Wright’s private living quarters, the
gracious Taliesin West “Garden Room”, the drafting studio, Music
Pavilion, The Cabaret Cinema and more while you enjoy a walking tour
around the terraces and walkways with an experienced guide who will
explain the history and importance of the architecture.
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WNS 2019 SCIENTIFIC PROGRAM
Hyatt Regency at Gainey Ranch, Scottsdale, AZ, November 9-11, 2019
(WNS By-laws require circulating the program to members before the meeting; including the program in this newsletter satisfies that requirement--Ed.)
Saturday November 9th, 2019
6:30-7:25 Breakfast with Exhibitors
7:25-7:30 Welcome, Thomas Scully WNS President
7:30-8:30 Spine Scientific Session (10 min talks, 5 min discussion)
- Amir Vokshoor, “Two-Year Retrospective Bayesian Assessment of Cervical Artificial Disc Replacement Failure Factors”
- Omid Hariri, “Clinical Efficacy of Frameless Stereotactic Radiosurgery in the Management of Spinal Metastases from Thyroid Carcinoma”
- Lee Tan, “Safety and Efficacy of Anterior Cervical Foraminotomy with Uncinate Process Resection in Conjunction with Anterior Discectomy and Fusion for Treatment of Cervical Radiculopathy”
- Zachary Smith, “Atlas-based Mapping of Gray Matter Loss in Patients with Cervical Spondylotic Myelopathy”
8:30-9:30 Translational Neurosurgery Scientific Session (10 min talks, 5 min discussion)
- Gary Steinberg, “Safety and Efficacy of Intracerebral Implantation of Modified Bone Marrow-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cell (SB623) in Patients with Chronic Motor Deficit from Traumatic Brain Injury”
- Jamshid Ghajar, “Baseline Oculomotor Performance is Associated with Increased Risk of Symptomatic Concussion”
- John Wanebo, “C6 Ceramide as a single agent and as an adjuvant to temazolamide and radiation inhibits growth of glioblastomas in vitro but not in vivo”
- Anthony Wang, “Activating Adaptive Immunity to Target H3.3G34 Mutant Glioblastoma”
9:30-10:00 Break with Exhibitors
10:00-11:15 Cranial Scientific Session (10 min talks, 5 min discussion)
- Michael Lawton, “Anterior Cerebral Artery Bypass for Complex Aneurysms: Advances in Intracranial-Intracranial Bypass Techniques”
- Mark Hamilton, “Reducing the Risks of Proximal and Distal Shunt Failure in Adult Hydrocephalus”
- Martin Mortazavi, “Tuberculum Sellae Meningiomas: Role of Posterolateral Orbitotomy, Optic Canal Decompression and Proposal of a New Classification System”
- Fernando-Miranda, “Endoscopic Endonasal Surgery for “Inoperable” Craniopharyngiomas: Intraoperative Challenges and Management of Complications”
- Andrew Little, “Microscopic vs. Fully Endoscopic Transsphenoidal Surgery for Pituitary Adenomas: a Multivariable and Propensity Score Matching Analysis of Gross-Total Resection Rates for Nonfunctioning Pituitary Adenomas From a Multicenter Prospective Study”
11:15-12:00 Local General Interest Topic – TBD
Sunday November 10th, 2019
6:30-8:00 Member Business Meeting
8:00-9:30 Ensuring Ethical Neurosurgeons for the Future Mini-Symposium
- Introduction, Moustapha Abou-Samra, 5 min
- Marvin Bergsneider, “Evaluating Medical Students as Potential Neurosurgeons” 15 min talk, 5 min discussion
- Michael McDermott, “Remediation during Residency” 15 min talk, 5 min discussion
- Richard Wohns, “Teaching Residents to Develop Ethical Relationships with Industry and Corporate America” 20 min talk, 5 min discussion
- Ciara Harraher, “How Do We Monitor Ethical Behavior of Newly Graduated Neurosurgeons?” 15 min
9:30-9:35 Introduction to Albin Lecture
9:35-10:20 Albin Lecturer, Regis Haid, “Spinal Alignment: Keys to the Kingdom”
10:20-10:50 Break with Exhibitors
10:50-10:55 Introduction to Cloward Award Winner
10:55-11:40 Cloward Award Winner, Robert Spetzler
11:40-11:45 Introduction to Presidential Address
11:45-12:30 Presidential Address, Thomas Scully
Monday November 11th 2019
6:30-7:30 Breakfast with Exhibitors
7:30-8:00 Resident Award Presentations, TBD (15 min talks, 5 min discussion)
8:00-9:40 Mini-Spine Symposium (15 min talks, 5 min discussion)
- Juan Uribe, “Lateral Approach Can Obviate Three Column Osteotomy”
- Erica Bisson, “Improving Outcomes with Registry Data”
- Jay Turner, “Lumbosacral Stability in Extended Fusion Constructs”
- Jay Morgan, “Robotics in Spine Surgery”
- John Ratliff, “Use of Data Analytics to Improve Spine Surgery Outcomes”
9:40-10:10 Break with Exhibitors
10:10-11:55 General Interest Neurosurgery Scientific Session (10 min talks, 5 min discussion)
- Aria Fallah, “Hemispherectomy Outcome Prediction Scale: Development and Validation of a Tool to Predict Seizure Outcomes”
- John Rolston, “Human Interictal Epileptiform Discharges Recorded from Microelectrode Arrays are Traveling Waves with Distinct Propagation Directions”
- Brian Toyota, “Impact of Technology on Surgical Education”
- Randall Porter, “Video Recording Patient Visits to Improve Communication and HCAHPS Scores”
- Jay Morgan, “Management of Giant Extradural Arachnoid Cyst”
- Dante Vacca, “Case of a Career”
- Moustapha Abou-Samra, “When Life Throws you a Curve Ball”
11:55-12:00 Wrap-up and Adjourn
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IN MEMORIAM
Burton Wise November 24, 1924 - April 14, 2016
Burton Louis Wise, MD, age 91, passed away at his home in San Francisco on April 14, 2016 surrounded by his family.
Burton was born in Brooklyn, NY in 1924, the only child of Anna and David Wise. After spending his childhood in the city, he joined the U.S. Army during World War II. The Army sent him back to school, and he graduated from Columbia University in 1944 and then from New York Medical College in 1947. He went on to a surgical internship and residency in Neurology at Kings County Hospital in Brooklyn. In 1950, he moved to San Francisco to start a residency in Neurological Surgery at the University of California, San Francisco. He loved the West immediately, and lived in California for the rest of his life.
Upon completing residency, he joined UCSF's faculty in Neurological Surgery. He was on the faculty there from 1954 until 1968, except for two years service as a captain in the Army as assistant chief of neurosurgery at Letterman Army Hospital. In 1959, at the wedding of one of his residents, he met and fell in love with another guest, Myra Joseph. Burt and Myra were married three months later, remaining devoted partners for life.
Burt left UCSF in 1968 to begin a private practice and join the staffs of Children's and Mount Zion Hospitals. Several years later, he was appointed Chief of the Department of Neurological Sciences at Mount Zion. He joined the Western Neurosurgical Society in 1963 and remained a member until his death. He served on the Resident Award Committee in 1968.
Over the course of his career, Burt published two books and over 80 articles about neurosurgery, focusing on fluids and electrolytes and intracranial pressure. He discovered and introduced into neurological surgery the use of the osmotic agent mannitol to treat brain injury. In Pediatric Neurosurgery, Burt invented a new type of telescoping shunt that elongated as an infant grew, reducing the need for subsequent surgeries. In the late 1960s, Burt co-founded the hospital's pain clinic and in the 1980s, he launched its Medical Ethics Committee. Both constituted groundbreaking ideas at the time that are now widely replicated.
Keenly curious, Burt had a lifelong passion for learning. In his eighties, he started a blog about all things medical and political. Having grown up in a small apartment in Brooklyn, he loved expanses of land and gardening. He was also an excellent cook and appreciated good food and wine. Throughout his life, he and Myra supported many progressive causes in education, culture, conservation and climate change prevention.
He is survived by his wife of 56 years, Myra, his daughters Karen, Carla and Laura, sons-in-law Mark and Josh, grandchildren Lia, Susanna, Anna and Jonah, and many friends.
Contributions may be made in his honor to: Citizens' Climate Education, 1330 Orange Ave., #300, Coronado, CA 92118, citizensclimateeducation.org/donate.
Published in San Francisco Chronicle on May 29, 2016 and slightly edited for the WNS newsletter--Ed.
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Robert F. Spetzler, MD
The Society is most pleased to announce that Robert F. Spetzler, MD, has been chosen to receive the Ralph Cloward Award for 2019. He will receive the Cloward Medal and give a presentation on Sunday, November 10, entitled “My Journey in Neurosurgery”.
Robert F. Spetzler, M.D, attended Knox College in Galesburg, Illinois from 1963 to 1967 and graduated cum laude with a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology and Chemistry. Before graduating, he spent a year at the Free University of Berlin on a scholarship. In 1967, he entered medical school at Northwestern University, where he obtained his M.D. in 1971 and completed his internship in 1972. He then moved to the University of California at San Francisco where he trained as a resident under Charles B. Wilson, M.D., Professor and Chairman, Department of Neurosurgery. It was there, under the expert tutelage of Dr. Wilson, that his interest in neurovascular surgery developed. His commitment to academic neurosurgery also was established at this time. Before finishing his residency, he had already published 15 articles in refereed journals, on 8 of which he was first author; had helped edit two books; and had made almost 20 presentations at national and international meetings. During the last year of his residency, he was awarded a Trauma Fellowship from the National Institutes of Health (NIH). He also received the Annual Resident Award at the 27th Annual Meeting of the Congress of Neurological Surgeons.
After completing his residency in 1977, Dr. Spetzler joined the Department of Neurosurgery at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine in Cleveland, Ohio as an Assistant Professor. In 1980 he received his first major grant from NIH, developing a primate model of stroke that has since been used to test therapeutic treatments for stroke and cerebral ischemia. In 1981, he was promoted to an Associate Professor, holding that appointment until 1983.
In 1983 Dr. Spetzler was recruited by Dr. John R. Green to assume the J. N. Harber Chair of Neurological Surgery at the Barrow Neurological Institute (BNI) in Phoenix, Arizona. Two years later when Dr. Green retired, Dr. Spetzler became the Director of the BNI, and then its President and CEO, until his recent retirement in July 2017. Under Dr. Spetzler's leadership, the BNI has grown from primarily a regional center to an internationally recognized center of excellence that attracts both visiting healthcare professionals and patient referrals from around the world. The residency program has become one of the most highly sought programs because of the diversity of clinical experience and the emphasis on developing independent research projects. These accomplishments underscore why Dr. Spetzler was chosen as the Honored Guest of the Congress of Neurological Surgeons in 1994--the youngest member ever to receive this coveted honor.
Among just a few of Dr. Spetzler's contributions have been the development of theories on normal perfusion pressure breakthrough and how the size of arteriovenous malformations (AVMs) is related to their rupture; the development of a heuristic grading system for AVMs; advances in the surgical treatment of complex cerebrovascular lesions based on hypothermia, barbiturates, and cardiac arrest; and the development of innovative surgical approaches for skull base surgery. Since the start of his career, Dr. Spetzler has treated more than 6000 aneurysms and published more than 600 articles in refereed journals, more than 200 book chapters, and edited or coauthored numerous books and neurosurgical atlases.
In recognition of his outstanding commitment to the education of medical professionals; neurosurgeons in particular, he was named Mentor of the Millennium in 2000, Teacher of the Year in 1986, 1987,1992-97 and in 2010. He was named Professor of the Year in 1983 and 1984.
It probably comes as a surprise to most of us that Dr Spetzler is both a very competitive and adventurous person! He enjoys hiking, mountain biking, skiing, sailing and horseback riding. He competes in many extreme endurance challenges. He instituted the traditional Barrow Department of Neurosurgery rim-to-rim Grand Canyon hike each spring and the rumor is that he has never let a resident beat him out of the canyon! He believes that it is important to balance the rigors of a neurosurgical practice with extreme physical activity. This philosophy is a trademark of the Barrow Neurosurgery training program. Needless to say Dr. Spetzler has not slowed down since retiring.
In his home state of Arizona, Dr Spetzler was inducted into the Historical League as a “Historymaker” in 2017. He also received the Arizona Florence Crittenton Hope Award in 2012 and the Healthcare Leadership Award by the Arizona Business Magazine in 2009. He is the recipient of the Ellis Island Medal of Honor in 2015.
Dr Spetzler currently is President and CEO Emeritus of the Barrow Neurological Institute and Saint Joseph’s Hospital as well as the Professor and Chair Emeritus of the Barrow Department of Neurological Surgery. He lives in Paradise Valley, AZ with his wife of 45 years, Nancy Baxley. He has two children, David, age 44, and Christina, age 42.
--William Ganz
WNS Communications Committee
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