Wednesday 23 May - Esforax

Welcome AddressAss. Prof. Per Kjærsgaard-AndersenChairman EFORT Scientific CommitteeProf. Dr. Dieter WirtzChairman LOC Berlin 2012Prof. Dr. Karsten DreinhöferChairman LOC Berlin 2012Dear Colleagues,Welcome to Berlin and the 13th Congress of the European Federation of National Associations of Orthopaedics and Traumatology (EFORT),from May 23-25 at the ICC International Congress Centrum in Berlin. We hope that this meeting will be a stimulating experience in orthopaedictraining, research and technology, with previews of new concepts and discoveries in the orthopaedic arena.The EFORT Scientific Committee and the Local Scientific Committee have together designed an outstanding programme. A wealth of Symposia,Instructional Lectures, and four Experts-Meet-Experts sessions will cover exciting and relevant topics. All of these sessions are ledby European experts and a renowned faculty. A large number of Free Paper sessions on the latest scientific and clinical studies and – lastbut not least – the e-posters and wall posters, guarantee that you will make the most of your EFORT Congress in Berlin.Trauma has been selected as the main focus of the 13th EFORT Congress, with several sessions dealing with a full range of aspects of diagnosingand treating trauma of the musculo-skeletal system. In addition, there will be a car crash scenario set up just outside the congresscentre on Friday, 25 May, during the 10.45 coffee break. Berlin marks the debut for a new type of session. There will be three Crossfire Discussions on controversial topics on which opinions in the professional world differ. Please go along and add your voice to the debate.In our plenary sessions, two distinguished international speakers have accepted our invitation to give this year’s Honorary Lectures. ProfessorBernard Morrey from Rochester, USA will talk on “The Elbow: Evolution of viable solutions”, and Professor Reinhold Ganz from Bern,Switzerland, will give the lecture “Anatomical reconstruction of the hip with slipped capital femoral epiphysiolysis justified by pathophysio-logical findings”.The European Specialty Societies work closely with EFORT, and are directly involved in the overall scientific and training programme. A totalof 19 Specialty Society sessions will run during the Congress in Berlin, while distinguished members of these societies will also act as speakersand moderators in other sessions.As in Copenhagen last year, a full-day nurse’s programme has been created for Berlin. The full-day Comprehensive Review Course is hereto stay, once again providing our younger colleagues with a good overview of our field, and offering a great recap to those preparing forthe EBOT examination. And for the fourth congress in a row, a Tribology Day will be held during which speakers of international repute willshare with us their knowledge on wear and other aspects relating to bearings in total joint replacements.The industry and its great support for our Congress will also be very visible in Berlin, with a total of 25 training sessions dealing with allaspects of our field.There can be no congress without a programme of social highlights. In Berlin, we would particularly like to mention the Opening Ceremony on Wednesday afternoon at the Congress venue, and the Berlin Night at Kaufhaus Des Westens (KaDeWe) on Thursday evening.Berlin is a very inviting city with plenty of historical buildings within walking and cycling distance of the city centre. Don’t forget to visitthe famous Brandenburg Gate, the Reichstag building with its fascinating cupola, the remains of the Berlin Wall and the tremendous Museum Island, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, for special memories of the lovely German capital.Welcome to Berlin!Ass. Prof. Per Kjærsgaard-Andersen Prof. Dr. Dieter Wirtz Prof. Dr. Karsten DreinhöferChairman EFORT Scientific Committee Chairman LOC Berlin 2012 Chairman LOC Berlin 2012 3