- SAGES seeks to create a universal culture of safety in cholecystectomy by educating residents, fellows, and practicing surgeons about technical steps to prevent bile duct injury, such as the Critical View of Safety and intraoperative biliary imaging.
- Please click on the link for strategies for minimizing bile duct injuries and a video by Dr. Michael Brunt introducing the SAGES Safe Cholecystectomy program. https://www.sages.org/safe-cholecystectomy-program/
- The SAGES Safe Cholecystectomy Task Force is designing its approach based on the results of a Delphi survey of SAGES leadership and experts in cholecystectomy. The Task Force is comprised of experienced surgeons representing academia and community surgeons.
- The Task Force plans also to support surgical decision-making around the timing of surgery for acute cholecystitis and the management of various difficult cholecystectomy scenarios.
- According to SAGES President, Dr. Michael Brunt, “After 25 years of laparoscopic cholecystectomy, it is time to undertake the difficult issue of reducing bile duct injuries for this common procedure. The SAGES Task Force on Safe Cholecystectomy is committed to this purpose and we look forward to working with the surgical community to accomplish this goal.”
- Bile duct injury (BDI) can be a devastating complication of cholecystectomy, one of the most commonly performed surgical procedures in the world. It has been reported to occur in 0.2 to 1% of laparoscopic cholecystectomies.
- While the human costs of BDI cannot easily be measured, the economic burden associated with BDI has been reported to range from $613,588 to $788,586 per million population.
- There will be a half-day session devoted to preventing BDI and improving safety in cholecystectomy during the 2015 SAGES meeting.
- Reference: HPB (Oxford). 2008;10(6):416-9. doi: 10.1080/13651820802140745. Iatrogenic bile duct injury–a cost analysis. Andersson R1, Eriksson K, Blind PJ, Tingstedt B.
SAGES 2015 Annual Meeting: Promoting a Universal Culture of Innovation, Safety & Improved Outcomes in GI Surgery
Dear Colleagues:
On behalf of SAGES and the Program Committee, we would like to invite you to attend the SAGES 2015 Annual Meeting in Nashville, TN – Music City, USA.
This year’s meeting will be held at the Gaylord Opryland Hotel and Convention Center, April 15-18 and will continue a long-standing tradition of strong didactic sessions by world-renowned experts, combined with exploration of innovative technology in the broad spectrum of general surgery.
If you go to just one surgical meeting in 2015, this is the one! We look forward to seeing you in April!
REGISTER TODAY!
*Pre-Registration Deadline: March 6, 2015 at Midnight PST.
https://www.sages.org/meetings/registration/
Download SAGES 2015 Meeting App
https://www.sages2015.org/get-the-app/
https://www.sages2015.org/personal-meeting-planner/
- Customize your meeting schedule
- Search all sessions, speakers, abstracts, exhibitors
- Take notes and email a complete post-conference report
- Participate on Twitter using the #SAGES2015 hashtag automatically!
- And more…
Final Program
The SAGES Final Program is now available in PDF form: https://bit.ly/SAGES2015PDF
Hotel Accommodations – Space Is Limited So Book Your Reservation Today
https://www.sages2015.org/travel-information/hotel/
Additional Information About the SAGES Meeting
The program for the 2015 meeting focuses on relevant clinical problems that busy surgeons encounter every day in their respective practices, including management of complications, approaches for reoperative surgery, and laparoscopy in the acute care setting. New this year are sessions geared to surgeons in community or hospital based practice with information designed to be readily adopted into your daily practice. Sessions are structured to provide self-assessment CME credits, fulfilling Part 2 of the American Board of Surgery Maintenance of Certification (MOC) program.
Specific program highlights include:
- Hands-on courses
- All Things Hernia
- Minimal Access Surgery Tricks
- Techniques, and Endoscopic Management of Complications
- Practice, Career, and Life-Changing courses
- Evidence-Based Perioperative Care
- Lessons from Around the World
- Career Development Symposium
- Advocacy Luncheon
- Practice Building Session and mock trial
- Didactic courses and panels co-sponsored with groups from across the Americas, Europe, and Asia; joint sessions with AAST, IPEG, SSAT, and The Joint Armed Forces
- Numerous panels, symposia, video & scientific sessions
- New video shorts to provide more information in less time
- The SAGES Presidential Debates, MIS Jeopardy, and New Ted-X Style talks
- Patient Safety issues identified and highlighted throughout the program (cholecystectomy, FUSE, and SAGES SMART enhanced recovery)
- Part 2 Self-Assessment MOC compliant sessions
- FLS, FES and FUSE testing opportunities
- Learning Center with new simulators & simulation scenarios
- Top Gun, and SAGES Mini Medical School for high school students
- An Exhibit Hall that showcases the latest equipment & instruments
- Fabulous social events including Friday Night Main Event and Sing-Off
Mini-Med School Boot Camp
High school students from the Nashville area and SAGES membership will have the opportunity to experience the wonderful world of medicine and minimally invasive surgery. The day is power packed with classroom lectures, tours of the Learning Center and Exhibit Hall and the Top Gun Interactive Experience. Both cognitive and skill competitions with awards and prizes will be offered
Saturday, April 18 – 7:30AM – 2:00PM
Limitation: Must be a High School Student
Lunch Provided
Cost: No fee
Contact Viera Ewell for more information or register at https://www.sages2015.org/program-registration/mini-med-school/
CAMP SAGES Child Care
While you’re attending meetings, your children can enjoy their own Convention Camp, organized by ACCENT on Children’s Arrangements, Inc., a national company specializing in children’s activities. Camp SAGES is a complete morning to early evening entertainment program packed with activities for children ages 6 months* to 17 years. *All children must be pre-registered to ensure proper staffing levels. Children participate in age-appropriate activities, including arts and crafts projects and active games, in a safe, nurturing, and educational environment.
Register your kiddos online today at
https://www.sages2015.org/child-care-sages-2015-camp-sages/
SAGES Launches “Get Well Sooner” Health Education Initiative
- In order to raise awareness among patients about the benefits of minimally invasive surgery (MIS) and to promote the adoption of MIS techniques among health care providers,SAGES launches the “Get Well Sooner” public education campaign today at the American College of Surgeons 2015 Clinical Congress.
- “When compared to traditional surgery, minimally invasive surgery can potentially result in much less pain, swifter recovery and lower costs while providing an alternative for repairing and preventing a wide range of conditions,” said Dr. Jeffrey Hazey, chair of SAGES Get Well Sooner Committee.
- Despite the advantages, a recent John Hopkins University study found that laparoscopic surgical procedures are not offered as an option to hundreds of thousands of patients in the United States who are candidates for MIS and many hospitals underutilize MIS procedures. Patient knowledge about MIS options or a surgeon’s preference for open surgery, possibly due to lack of training, may determine if a patient is offered the opportunity to undergo a laparoscopic procedure.
- “Part of our mission with this program is to reach out to healthcare providers in order to address any obstacles they may encounter when offering MIS to patients,” said Dr. Michael Brunt, SAGES President. “As more patients ask about MIS, more healthcare providers will have to become skilled at offering these newer cutting-edge techniques,” Dr. Brunt said.
- Patients should feel comfortable asking their surgeon if an MIS procedure is an option or seek a second opinion from a surgeon experienced in MIS. SAGES has developed Patient Information Guidelines available at www.getwellsooner.org for both patients and healthcare providers that include information about common procedures, how to prepare for and what happens during MIS, and questions patients can ask their healthcare provider.
- For more information, visit www.getwellsooner.org, join “Get Well Sooner” on Facebook at www.facebook.com/gwsooner or on Twitter at @gwsooner.
Attend SAGES Led Lectures at the ACS Meeting
Attend the following lectures led by SAGES members next week October 27th through October 30th at the ACS Clinical Congress!
- PS100, Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy: A Nickel and Dime Operation with a Million Dollar Complication 9:45AM – 11:15AM MCC Room 307-310 – Soper, Berger, Rattner
- PS101, Innovative Approaches of Anastomotic Leaks after Bowel Resection: Dealing with Disaster 9:45AM-11:15AM MCC Room: Ballroom – Delaney, Ponsky, Wexner, Read
- PS105, The Surgeon’s Role in Reducing Health Care Costs 9:45AM – 11:15AM MCC Room 132-133 Ferreres
- VE01, Controversies in General Surgery 9:45AM – 11:15AM MCC Room 135 Herron, Reardon, Richards, Hernandez, Greeley, Liu, Mason, Patton, Berber
- PS109, Ventral Hernia Repair: Challenges and Solutions 11:30AM – 1:00PM MCC Room: Ballroom – Voeller, Prabhu, Singh, Greenberg, Rosen
- PS113, Operative Access: What’s Proven, What’s Not 11:30AM – 1:00PM MCC Room 2002/2004 – Marco, DeMeester, Patti, Hungness, Perretta, Rosemurgy, Soper
- SC07 , Advanced Colonoscopy: New Techniques for Polypectomy and Advanced Intervention 1:00PM – 5:15PM MCC Room 2001 – Marcello, Gorgun, Lee, Whelan, Abbas, Marks, Francone, Cipriano, George, Mutch, Singer, Sonoda, Stein, Whitlow, Zebley
- VE06, Clinical Workshop through Video 6:30PM – 8:30PM Hilton San Francisco – Room Grand Ballroom Salon A – Murthy, Swanstrom
- PS200, Management of Bariatric Surgical Complications 8:00AM – 9:30AM MCC Room 307-310 – Blackstone, Telem, Nguyen, Williams, Hutter, Reavis, Patterson, Provost, Kurian, Rosenthal
- PS210, Safe Energy Use in the Operating Room 9:45AM – 11:15AM MCC Room 2002/2004 – Feldman, Jones, Robinson, Brunt, Mikami, Dunkin
- VE09, Subject-oriented Symposium I: Spectacular Hernias A to Z 9:45AM – 11:15AM MCC Room 2006/2008 – Smith, Sholmovitz, Royall, Petrosky, Pullatt, Szomstein, Pullatt
- VE10, Subject-oriented Symposium II: Heroes in Surgery: Our Legacy 9:45AM – 11:15AM MCC Room 3020/3022 – Richards, Schwaitzberg, Brunt, Fuchshuber, Huang*This session will feature a 15-minute condensed segment from the documentary “George Berci -Trials, Triumphs, Innovations”
- ME206, Diverticulitis Decision-making for the Acute Care Surgeon 11:30AM – 12:30PM MCC Room 212 – Fadok
- ME 211, Laparoscopic Hernia Repair: My Tips and Techniques 11:30AM – 12:30PM MCC Room 256 – Herron
- VE15, Best Videos from the Past 6:30PM – 8:30PM Hilton San Francisco Room Grand Ballroom Salon A – Khaitan, Bowers, Stein
- VE16, Subject-oriented Symposium III: Complications in General Surgery 8:00AM – 9:30AM MCC Room 135 – Pellegrini, Jacobs, Omelanczuk, Drolet, Russ, Teixeira, Rosenthal
- PS307, Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumors: Update on Resection and Oncologic Management 9:45AM – 11:15AM MCC Room Ballroom – Kooby, Pawlik, Willingham, Swanstrom, Raut
- PS326, Gaming in Patient Care and Surgical Education 2:30PM – 4:00PM MCC Room 304/306 – Schlachta, Vassiliou, Boyde, Lin, Rosser
- VE26, General Surgery III 2:30PM – 5:45PM MCC Room 2006/2008 – Herron, Fuchshuber, Reavis, Campos, Lee, Petro, Shah, Spann, Marshall, Saber, Beber, Palazzo, Petro
- PS311, Metabolic Surgery: Current State of the Role of Surgery in the Treatment of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus 4:15PM – 5:45PM MCC Room 3014/3016/3018 – Collins, Dasgupta, Fuller, Pfeifer
- PS400, Ten Hot Topics in General Surgery 8:00AM – 9:30AM MCC Room 307-310 – Ellison, Sharp, Hazey, Bohl, Sosa, Duh
- VE27, Hepatobiliary II 8:00AM – 9:30AM MCC Room 130-131 – Asbun, Berber, Talamonti, Wakabayashi, Guerron, Machado, Matone
- VE28, Bariatric Surgery 8:00AM – 11:15AM MCC Room 135 – Saber, Herron, Rosenthal, Shah, Hanssen, Campos, Peterson, Pullatt, Spann, Giannone, Weerasinghe, Broderick, Colsen, Prathanvanich, Brownlee
Message from the President – Summer 2014
It is a tremendous honor and privilege to serve as your SAGES President for the coming year. It was 22 years ago that I became a SAGES member and attended my first SAGES meeting in Washington, DC. The atmosphere at that meeting was electrifying and I will never forget it – it was still in the rapid growth phase of the laparoscopic revolution and it seemed that every week something new was being done laparoscopically. That meeting was also the debut of the Lap Rappers and the precursor to the Friday night main event that has become a signature feature of every SAGES meeting.
Today as I reflect back, it is amazing to see the evolution of our society to an organization that has impacted education and training, research, and innovation in virtually every aspect of GI and endoscopic surgery. Our annual meeting continues to be the centerpiece of our educational activities and we recently had another successful meeting in Salt Lake City with 2000 attendees who experienced a comprehensive program put on by Jeff Marks and Tonia Young-Fadok. Next April 15-18 we will be in Music City in Nashville and Aurora Pryor and Michael Holzman, the Program Chairs for 2015, are planning a fabulous educational meeting.
SAGES now has more than 6300 members, 33 committees, and more than 400 committee members who devote countless hours of work toward making our society and the surgical world a better place. SAGES as much as anything represents opportunity for its members – the opportunity to get involved, to contribute to the work of our various committees and projects, to participate in the annual meeting, and to make a difference in surgical care for our patients.
I’d like to highlight some important initiatives that have been undertaken by our society over the last several years that continue to build and gather momentum. The SAGES Fundamentals portfolio now consists of FLS, FES (Fundamentals of Endoscopic Surgery) and FUSE (Fundamental Use of Surgical Energy). FLS has been taken by more than 5300 general surgery residents over the last 5 years and under the leadership of Steve Schwaitzberg, is exploring international efforts in Latin America, China and other parts of the world. The Flexible Endoscopy curriculum was developed by the American Board of Surgery, in conjunction with SAGES and other GI societies, an effort led by Brian Dunkin. The curriculum has FES (led by Jeff Marks) as the centerpiece, and has now been mandated for general surgery residents graduating in the 2017-2018 academic year along with FES certification. I encourage you to support FES by reviewing the on line web based didactic program and by taking the FES examination; and if you are in a training institution, to integrate the Flexible Endoscopy Curriculum and FES into your surgical training programs. And FUSE, led by Dan Jones, will become available this summer as the first comprehensive educational program to address the topic of surgical energy and safe use of energy devices in the OR.
Enhanced patient safety and improving surgical outcomes are among my top priorities as president. Although it’s been almost 25 years since laparoscopic cholecystectomy transformed the surgical world, we continue to see major bile duct injuries that occur during this most common of procedures. Moreover, the occurrence of a major bile duct injury can be devastating for the patient who otherwise would have undergone an outpatient procedure with prompt return to their normal activities.
At my direction, SAGES has formed the Safety in Cholecystectomy Task Force led by Rob Fanelli and Horacio Asbun with the mission of encouraging a universal culture of safety for cholecystectomy and reducing biliary injuries. The group has distributed a Delphi survey to our committee members in an effort to develop expert consensus on the factors deemed important for the safe performance of cholecystectomy. The results of this survey will guide the task force and bring focus to the project. A subgroup of the task force will hold a retreat in St. Louis this summer to review the Delphi results and further refine the strategic plan for this program with plans to roll out the first phase of this multimodal initiative within a year.
Finally, it is important to be mindful of our humble origins as a society and of our roots in flexible GI endoscopy. To that end, I have asked Tonia Young-Fadok to produce a documentary film on the beginnings of SAGES that we anticipate will premiere at our annual meeting in April. We also plan to highlight other aspects of SAGES incredible history in the coming year as well.
This is a unique and perhaps historic time in medicine with transformative changes taking place in healthcare. We face not only tremendous economic challenges ahead and constraints regarding the costs of the care we deliver, but will also be increasingly be judged and paid according to the quality of our care and the outcomes we achieve. We also live in an increasing regulatory environment that may negatively impact innovation and the development of new technology. SAGES will continue to lead the way as we navigate these challenges and I encourage each of you to stay engaged and communicate to us your thoughts and ideas or concerns. I am convinced that together we can meet the great challenges in GI surgery and medicine in the 21st century.
L. Michael Brunt, MD
SAGES President