EUROSPINE 2018 took place from 19 to 21 September at the CCIB in Barcelona and was a full success. Nearly 4,000 participants from 80 countries joined together for a memorable 20th anniversary meeting. EUROSPINE’s Annual General Meeting is an international prime forum where leading experts from the spinal field get together to share in-depth knowledge.
A well-rounded scientific programme filled to the brim
The rich scientific programme offered three pre-day courses dealing with “Anterior approaches to the thoracic and lumbar spine”, “Emerging technologies in spine surgery” and the “Spine Tango Users Meeting (STUM)” as well as 78 oral presentations covering diverse topics, from basic science to new techniques, medical economics and patient safety, to name a few. Two debates examined whether e-learning was the future of spinal surgery education on the one hand and how specific low back pain could ever be on the other hand. To top it off, 90 QuickFire presentations, 155 e-posters, seven lunch symposia and additional 19 lunch workshops conducted by our industry partners catered for even more brain food.
Highlights included Martin E Schwab’s Medal Lecture. Martin E Schwab is professor of Neuroscience at the Institute of Regenerative Medicine of the University of Zurich and at the Department of Health Sciences and Technology of ETH Zurich. Exactly 20 years ago he held the Medal Lecture at the first EUROSPINE meeting. On the occasion of EUROSPINE’s anniversary this year, we felt honoured that he had returned for a second time to speak about spinal cord recovery.
Great crowd at first ESF charity run
In the early morning hours, around 122 runners and walkers participated in the first ever EUROSPINE Foundation (ESF) Charity Run as the sun rose over the beaches of Barcelona. What a magical moment! 100 per cent of registration fees were donated to the ESF with the goal to advance knowledge of spinal disorders, improve standard of care and the recovery and well-being of patients with back and neck problems.
Networking with the finest minds in spine
In a unique and interactive installation, EUROSPINE’s Time Capsule offered a look back at achievements that not only make us proud but also formed the society to what it is now, namely one of the leading spine organisations in the world, as well as relationships between colleagues that have grown to great friendships and are also part of what gives EUROSPINE its familial flair. It is only logic that the first two EUROSPINE Presidents Carlos Villanueva from Barcelona, Spain, and Jiří Dvořák from Zurich, Switzerland, both received the Honorary Membership in appreciation of their invaluable contributions to the society. Members and delegates enjoyed diverse opportunities to network and exchange ideas wit