ASES News – April 2019

As the Easter and Passover holidays come to an end and we enjoy the spring weather, I would like to share a few updates regarding some of the activities that your Presidential Line, Board and Committees have been working on.

The 2019 Annual Specialty Day Meeting chaired last month by Joe Abboud, MD and Nik Verma, MD was very well received and attended by 670 ASES members and non-members alike. The meeting included an exceptional program with 5 sessions of Symposia and Case-Based approaches, 5 sessions of Papers as well as 2 How-to-Video sessions. The Neer Award included 2 Basic Science Awards and 1 Clinical Science Award. Scott Rodeo, MD and colleagues received one of the Basic Science Awards entitled “Muscle-Derived Activated Endothelial Cells As A New Cell Source To Enhance Tendon-To-Bone Healing: In Vivo Study In A Murine Rotator Cuff Repair Model”; the other was granted to Ranjan Gupta, MD and colleagues for their paper entitled “Analysis Of Human Muscles Of The Shoulder & Upper Extremity: A Temporal Profile Of Human Motor Endplate Degradation”. Phillip Moroder, MD and colleagues received the Clinical Science Award for their paper entitled “Latarjet Procedure Versus Iliac-Crest Bone Graft Transfer For Treatment Of Anterior Shoulder Instability With Glenoid Bone Loss: A Prospective Randomized Trial”. The ASES staff, including Anna Quintanilla, Stella Gauthier, Christa Hagelberger and Steve Mlodoch, deserves special thanks for their tireless efforts, which facilitated the great success of the Specialty Day meeting.

I will mention below just a few committee activities, which are currently underway.

The Membership Committee members, under the leadership of Chair Joe Abboud, MD and Co-Chair Ron Navarro, MD, are currently in the process of reviewing new member and advancing member applications. One Hundred and Seventy-Seven applications are being reviewed by the Committee and of these 44 represent the new category of Fellow Membership. Once these applications are reviewed, those approved will be submitted to the Active ASES members for a vote in July. The new members will be eligible to attend the Annual Meeting in October 2019.

Members of the Presidential Line and the Board as well as members of the Political Advocacy Committee will be attending the National Orthopaedic Leadership Conference (NOLC), June 5^th through 8^th, in Washington DC. We will be advocating for our patients and our members to advance shoulder and elbow care.

The 2019 AANA/ASES Advanced Shoulder Course, Co-Directed by Xavier Duralde, MD, Joaquin Sanchez-Sotelo, MD, Ph.D., Emilio Calvo, MD, Ph.D, MBA and Mauricio Largacha, MD, will take place on June 10^th and 11^th at the OLC in Chicago. International Faculty (12 Speakers and 12 Lab Instructors) will be educating up to 48 course participants. The Co-Directors and AANA/ASES Staff have worked tirelessly to ensure the success of this international education effort.

The 36^th Annual San Diego Shoulder Course will include the 3^rd Annual ASES Fellows Symposium on Friday, June 21^st from 2pm to 5:45pm. Past President Buddy Savoie, MD should be congratulated for establishing this very successful annual event. The Fellows and ASES Members who have attended this symposium to date have expressed universal appreciation. Dr. Joaquin Sanchez-Sotelo, MD, PhD, Fellows Day Program Chair,  Buddy, Past President, Rich Hawkins, MD, and I will serve as Co-Moderators. We look forward to another successful SDSI Fellows Symposium this year.

The Technology Committee and Chair Joaquin Sanchez-Sotelo, MD, PhD have with the help of ASES Staff member Steve Mlodoch efficaciously launched the new and greatly improved ASES Website. We are currently engaged in developing a Candidate Member section as well as other features to improve member engagement. I encourage you all to visit the ASES Website and forward any suggestions or comments to Joaquin and the committee.

Members of the Fellowship Committee, under the leadership of Chair Scott Steinmann, have been working hard to enhance the experience of fellows in ASES-recognized fellowships and that of their educators by developing a Case Log system among other plans. We will be hearing more about this in the coming months.

The Presidential Line of ASES and Scott Levin, MD, President of ASSH, have charged the respective Education Committee members, under the leadership of Chair Gus Mazzocca, MD and Co-Chair Ranjan Gupta, MD, and ASSH Education Committee Chair Michael Hausman, MD to develop an ASES/ASSH Comprehensive Elbow Course. The Education Committee Chairs have appointed Co-Directors for the course including Frank Alberta, MD and Joaquin Sanchez-Sotelo, MD,  Ph.D., representing ASES, and Michael Hausman, MD, representing ASSH. This group is planning the ASES/ASSH Comprehensive Elbow Course at a date to be determined in the spring of 2020.

The AAOS Liaison Taskforce, chaired by Leesa Galatz, MD, and the Political Advocacy Committee, chaired by Ted Schlegel, MD, have been working together on AAOS Coding, Coverage and Reimbursement Committee polices to address shoulder and elbow coding issues. This has been a collaborative effort that has comprised other Sub-Specialty Societies (AANA and AOSSM). The ASES representatives to the CCR include Hussein Elkousy, MD, Julie Bishop, MD and Bill Beach, MD. They deserve recognition for their extensive efforts in developing, strategizing and implementing policy related to code 29823 and appropriate coding for Superior Capsular Reconstruction (SCR), among other initiatives.

The 2019 Annual Meeting Co-Chairs Bob Arciero, MD and Xavier Duralde, MD have been working assiduously and systematically to develop a compelling meeting for all members of ASES this October in New York. The highlights of the Meeting will include early morning ICLs, a General Session in the mornings, Industry Luncheons, and 3 Concurrent Sessions in the afternoons. The Concurrent Sessions will include Live Surgeries. These Concurrent Sessions and Live Surgeries will be implemented for the first time in ASES Annual Meeting history.  The tentative plan includes 4 arthroplasty surgeries and 4 soft tissue surgeries. We are also planning an exciting social program in New York and more details will provided in the next several months.

The Neer Circle Taskforce, under the leadership of Co-Chairs JT Tokish, MD and Jed Kuhn, MD, MS, has been analyzing the survey data received thus far from Neer Circle members regarding the Management of the First Time Dislocator. The Survey Results and Consensus Statements will be discussed and approved during the Inaugural Neer Circle Meeting that will take place on Wednesday October 16, 2019. Once approved, the Consensus Statements will be submitted for publication in JSES. The Taskforce will be sending the next round of survey questions next month.

The 2020 Specialty Day Meeting Co-Chairs Heinz Hoenecke, MD and Brett Owens, MD have been developing a stimulating collaboration and partnership with 2 other Subspecialty Societies. The morning session will include a combined meeting with SOMOS, followed by an early afternoon Arthroplasty section and conclude with a midafternoon combined meeting with the OTA until adjournment.

I am honored, privileged and humbled to serve all members of the American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons as your President, please email me anytime with your thoughts, suggestions, questions and/or comments: cordascof@gmail.com