SCI-Reykjavik 2007
Reykjavik 2007 Annual Scientific Meeting
The 46th ISCoS Annual Scientific Meeting was held in Reykjavik in conjunction with the 10th Nordic NosCoS meeting from 27th to the 30th of June 2007.
This was a very successful meeting with almost six hundred participants and an exhibition with 18 exhibitors. The scientific programme put focus on five main topics that represent some of the many faces of spinal cord injury that meet patients and clinicians every day. These topics were Late Complications, Metabolism, Nutrition and Obesity, Functional Electric Stimulation, Coping Strategies and Impact of SCI on the Family.
The introduction speakers of the main topic sessions where Dr Susan Charlifue, USA, Dr Margareta Kreuter, Sweden, Dr Paul Kennedy, UK and Dr William Bauman, USA. In addition, the meeting offered nine Workshops and Symposia with 33 in-depth presentations and discussions on topics such as Prevention of SCI, Documentation and Data Sets, the Development of ICF Core Sets for Spinal Cord Injury, Sexuality, Living and Coping with Spinal Cord Injury, information about the European Spinal Cord Federation as well as on the Importance of Information to Patients Related to Participation in Clinical Trials.
There were two Workshops on Functional Electrical Stimulation both for upper and lower motor neuron lesions, where we enjoyed live demonstrations with patients on the use of FES as well as a direct Video Conference with Cleveland, Ohio where there was a possibility to discuss with the patients that are using FES in their daily life. The whole programme was interesting and challenging with two excellent Guest Lectures, 95 oral presentations in concurrent sessions as well as 107 posters.
We were honoured to have the participation of Dr Kristján T Ragnarsson who gave the Sir Ludwig Guttmann Lecture. The title of his lecture was "Functional Electrical and Therapeutic Stimulation in SCI: current use and future direction". Dr Kristján T Ragnarsson is Icelandic but has been living in New York for many years. In 1986 he was appointed Professor and Chairman of the Department of Rehabilitation Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York, a position that he has held since.
We were also fortunate to have the participation of Dr Marcalee Sipski who gave the Lars Sullivan Memorial Lecture, a Guest Lecture given at every Nordic Congress. The title of her lecture was " Autonomic Function and Spinal Cord Injury: Are we at a Crossroad?" Dr Marcalee Sipski is Professor of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at the University of Alabama's School of Medicine in Birmingham, USA.
In addition to the main programme, participants were offered a visit to the Department of Rehabilitation of Landspitali University Hospital as well as choosing from four Pre-congress Workshops, that covered physical activity, movement analysis, robotic locomotion, management of bladder, bowel and sexual function as well as C-spine stabilization.
The timing in June was perfect with light nights and favourable weather conditions with sunny skies and mild breeze. The participants enjoyed the facilities and food of the Nordica Hotel and an extensive social programme and excursions.
The Organizing Committee would like to thank all the participants, sponsors and speakers for making the event a great success. Meeting all of you was indeed a pleasure and we look forward seeing you again at the next Annual Scientific Meeting of ISCoS in Durban, South Africa in 2008 and the next Nordic Congress that will take place in Viborg, Denmark in 2009.
For more information and images of the event download the document below provided by the International Spinal Cord Society. This newsletter was provided on behalf of the Organizing Committee, Stefán Yngvason, chair, Sigrún Knútsdóttir, secretary.