Nieuws.

A look ahead to the three-day BritSpine meeting in April 2020, comprising of lectures, topic updates and debates

As the Biennial combined spine scientific conference BritSpine approaches, after a few issues beyond the organiser’s control, the venue has been confirmed as the internationally renowned, purpose-built conference facility at the SEC in Glasgow from
1-3 April 2020.

BritSpine is the amalgamation of all the differing streams of spinal care in the UK. All the spinal societies come together to organise and partake in the sharing of best practice and the latest scientific developments within the field. The meeting is designed to appeal to a broad audience, and offers something for everyone involved in the assessment, care and study of spinal problems. The meeting would not be possible without the support of industry colleagues, and BritSpine are delighted to be working with both the spine division of the Association of British HealthTech Industries, and individual company partners.

The meeting follows a broad theme of sport-related spinal problems, and over the three days delegates will hear the best of recent research, take part in debates and discussions on current controversies, and receive keynote lectures from the leaders of their fields. With an international faculty, on day one Professor Alison McGregor from Imperial College will speak on back pain in sport, and Professor Michael Mayer from Munich will discuss innovations in spinal surgery. Day two will see Professor Rob Brownstone from UCL presenting on neural plasticity in cord injury, Professor Wilco Peul from the Netherlands asks whether we should be treating adult spinal deformity, and a joint session with Dr Frances Williams of King’s and Professor Hans-Joachim Wilke of Ulm on the effects of sporting activities on the intervertebral disc. The meeting will be drawn to a close with an overview of spinal tumours from Dr Stefano Boriani of Bologna.

Maintaining the theme of the meeting, the guest lecture will be from Dr Gwyn Jones, medic and former Welsh rugby international, who will offer an insight into the personal aspects of sporting spinal injuries.

Attendance is encouraged from anyone with an interest in spinal problems and will be mainly from the membership of the constituent societies who comprise the UKSSB. Members contributing to the broad dialogue will represent the British Association of Spine Surgeons, the British Scoliosis Society, the Society for Back Pain Research, the British Association of Spinal Cord Injury Specialists, and the National Back Pain Clinical Network. As well as representing the main professional educational meeting of 2020 for many clinicians, this is also the annual meeting of the research society, and an ideal opportunity to strengthen existing, and forge new collaborations. There will of course be time available for socialising with colleagues and industry sponsors to further spread ideas and understanding in our community.

Sessions will cover the latest news and evidence on thorny clinical issues, such as the management of cauda equina syndrome, management of the deformed growing spine, and the dilemmas affecting treatment of the aging spine. Delegates will hear the latest research on the future of back pain therapy, and spinal cord injury interventions, in addition to the wider issues around the modern-day NHS, and the hurdles encountered in undertaking research.

The team at BritSpine would encourage any team currently involved in spinal research to submit their latest work to the conference and to attend in order to further the knowledge of this often-challenging area, with the aim of improving patients’ lives.