Point/Counterpoint XXVII

Trauma, Critical Care & Acute Care Surgery 2008
Baltimore Marriott Waterfront
Baltimore, Maryland, June 8-11, 2008

The 27th annual Point/Counterpoint meeting will be in a new venue and will highlight the full spectrum of the evolving specialty-Acute Care Surgery. The course will provide information and continuing education in the area of trauma/critical care and non-trauma surgical emergencies. The program committee has adopted the classic point/counterpoint (pro and con) format for the entire course, along with a state-of-the-art lecture each day. The first day is dedicated to surgical (non-trauma) emergencies. The second day will focus on controversies in trauma management. Advances in critical care will be addressed the final day. For all these reasons, this course continues to have a broad appeal to general and specialty surgeons, emergency physicians and intensivists, as well as nurses, paramedics and others who participate on a high performance team. The quality of the faculty and the general flow and interaction of the faculty/participants lead to an enriching educational experience. A course syllabus includes a summary of each presentation. This information will be distributed at registration.

Course Director:
L.D. Britt, MD, MPH, FACS

Program Committee:
David V. Feliciano, MD, FACS
Sharon Henry, MD, FACS
Rao R. Ivatury, MD, FACS
Lenworth M. Jacobs, Jr. MD, MPH, FACS
Andrew B. Peitzman, MD, FACS
J. Wayne Meredith, MD, FACS
Thomas M. Scalea, MD FACS

Course Objectives

At the completion of this program, the attendee should be able to:

• Describe appropriate clinical management of patients in the acute care setting
• Apply recently developed evidence-based practice guidelines and protocols in the care of patients needing emergency intervention
• Assess the efficacy of new technical innovations and advanced treatment paradigms being proposed in the management of the acutely ill/injured patient
• Assess the current data relevant to the performance improvement and outcome determinations

Course Content

The impetus for this three-part program is the almost palpable enthusiasm for the new specialty—Acute Care Surgery. With an approved curriculum, fellowship training programs being reviewed for accreditation, and the recent publication of a textbook dedicated to this new specialty, Acute Care Surgery is a clearly defined and vibrant discipline. In the classic point/counterpoint (pro/con) format, the course covers the full spectrum of surgical emergencies and critical care, including some of the current major controversies. An expert faculty has been chosen and a plethora of topics included in the course curriculum.

Day 1 is divided into the following categories: forgut, midgut, and hindgut emergencies. Some of the highlights for this session include a debate on the role of laparoscopy in the management of duodenal o-gastric perforations, the necessity of preoperative arteriography in a patient with suspected acute mesenteric ischemia, and the indications for definitive operative intervention after the first bout of acute diverticulitis. Dr. David Hoyt will preset the state-of-the art lecture for this day. He will address a timely topic Acute Care Surgery: Past Present and Future.

Day 2 will feature several controversial topics in trauma management and administration. For example, vascular repair options in the contaminated field will be discussed. In addition, the afternoon session will focus on evolving technology and its applicability in a cost-conscious environment. Are the new topical hemostatic agents actually cost effective? Is video-assisted thoracoscopy underutilized? Is catheter-based intervention (endoluminal stenting in the definitive management of traumatic aortic injuries) currently a standard of care? Should laparoscopy be utilized therapeutically in the management of penetrating abdominal trauma? The day will end with a “countdown” (quick debates) on seven “hot topics”, including the mangled extremity (preservation vs. primary amputation), pediatric trauma management (pediatric vs. adult surgeons), wound vacuum devices (who, when and how), and other pithy subjects. The state-of-the-art lecture will be given by Leon Pachter, MD, FACS, George David Stewart Professor of Surgery and Chairman of the Department of Surgery at New York University.

Day 3 will focus on critical care issues with an emphasis on both advances and controversies in the discipline. There will be a broad range of topics from the role of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) in adults to addressing workforce shortages in critical care management and the emerging role of the emergency medicine physicians. As one of the pivotal members of the medical team that was the first to implement the eICU (telemedical in the management of ICU patients), Gene Burke, MD, FACS will present a stimulating state-of-the-art lecture.

Attendance will provide a maximum of 25 Category 1 CME credits.

Continuing Medical Education Courses in Trauma

Trauma Programs

Online April 4, 2008