2012 arrives with snow or sunshine depending on the hemisphere but with
the same thoughts as always – to reflect on the past year and then to
make wishes, plans and promises for the year ahead.
On behalf of the IFSSH Executive Committee, I would like to acknowledge
the work and effort of our members towards our common goal: hand
surgery. I would like to thank every IFSSH member for another year of
progress and we look forward to the opportunities to meet again over the
next twelve months, to exchange ideas, make plans and welcome more
members.
I would like to wish everybody a Happy New Year, filled with happiness,
good health and success.
As a summary of our main activities and the matters of the IFSSH, I
enclose my report presented at the 2011 IFSSH Delegates Meeting in Las
Vegas.
2011 Secretary-General’s Report
I cannot start my report without recapping the wonderful year of 2010. The work of
the last three year term, led by IFSSH President Jim Urbaniak and Secretary-General
Michael Tonkin, was perfectly completed by an outstanding 11th IFSSH triennial
Congress in November 2010 in Seoul, South Korea. This was superbly organised by
Congress President Moon Sang Chung and a high scientific standard was ensured by
Goo Hyun Baek, the Scientific Chairman. These programmes made for an
unforgettable event and, along with the financial outcome of the congress, will be
difficult for future congresses to equal.
1501 participants, including more than 1300 surgeons from 61 countries met in Seoul
to take part in the Congress. 1429 oral and poster abstracts were presented, covering
a wide range of topics. Dr Jesse Jupiter delivered the Swanson Lecture: ‘‘Fracture of
the distal radius: an historical perspective’’.
Executive Committee
During the Seoul Congress new IFSSH officers were elected:
President: Ulrich Mennen
President-Elect: Michael Tonkin
Past-President: James Urbaniak
Secretary General: Zsolt Szabo
Secretary General Elect: Marc Garcia-Elias
Historian: Frank Burke
Member-at-Large (Nominating Committee): Goo Hyun BaekWe thank Arlindo Pardini and Bill Cooney for their contribution to the IFSSH
Executive over the past terms.
IFSSH Member Nations
The IFSSH ‘‘family’’ welcomed a new member, the Georgian Hand Surgery Branch
of Medical Foundation "Mkurnali". We look forward to having Georgian
representatives join us at future Congresses. Interest in membership has been
forthcoming from many other societies, including Estonia, Latvia, Ireland, Guatemala
and Myanmar and we hope to welcome these societies to IFSSH membership at future
meetings. Important steps are in place in order to strengthen our relations with our
Russian colleagues. The President and Secretary General of the IFSSH are going to
participate in a scientific cadaver course in Saint Petersburg during September 2011,
at the invitation of the Russian Society.
Hand Surgery Worldwide
A remarkable outcome of the Congress was the presentation of the book Hand
Surgery Worldwide: International Reconstruction of a ‘‘Beautiful and Ready
Instrument of the Mind’’, edited by outgoing IFSSH President Jim Urbaniak.
E-zine
Thanks to its President, Ulrich Mennen, in February 2011 the IFSSH started a new
era in information and communication. This electronic magazine, called “ezine”,
developed and edited by Ulrich Mennen, plans to improve communication between
IFSSH members and co-workers. The outstanding quality and content of the first
three issues assure us that it will be an important tool in our aim to build a stronger
hand surgery community.
If you wish to receive this, or have contributions or suggestions, please email
ezine@ifssh.info.
Pioneers of Hand Surgery
During the 2010 Seoul IFSSH Congress opening ceremony, 28 “Pioneers in Hand
Surgery were honoured. This is a long standing custom which dates back to the 3rd
Congress in Tokyo held in 1986. The IFSSH, on behalf its members, congratulates the
following Pioneers on their award:
- Alessandro Caroli (Italian Society for Surgery of the Hand)
- André Chamay (Swiss Society for Surgery of the Hand)
- John Cobbett (British Society for Surgery of the Hand)
- Fernando Enriquez de Salamanca Lorente (Spanish Society for Surgery of the Hand)
- José Cantero Martinez (Spanish Society for Surgery of the Hand)
- Antonio De Santolo Ricciardelli (Venezuela Society for Surgery of the Hand)
- Richard G. Eaton (American Society for Surgery of the Hand)
- Joel Engel (Israeli Society for Surgery of the Hand)
- David P. Green (American Society for Surgery of the Hand)
- Basil Helal (British Society for Surgery of the Hand)
- Yoshikazu Ikuta (Japanese Society for Surgery of the Hand)
- Seiichi Ishii (Japanese Society for Surgery of the Hand)
- Eung-Shick Kang (Korean Society for Surgery of the Hand)
- Ik-Dong Kim (Korean Society for Surgery of the Hand)
- Young Ho Lee (Korean Society for Surgery of the Hand)
- Ralph Manktelow (MANUS Canada)
- Renzo Mantero (Italian Society for Surgery of the Hand)
- Viktor E. Meyer (Swiss Society for Surgery of the Hand)
-
Edward A. Nalebuff (American Society for Surgery of the Hand)
- Santos Palazzi Coll (Spanish Society for Surgery of the Hand)
- Alfredo Quintana Montero (Spanish Society for Surgery of the Hand)
- Morton Spinner (American Society for Surgery of the Hand)
- James W. Strickland (American Society for Surgery of the Hand)
- Philip Sykes (British Society for Surgery of the Hand)
- Julio Taleisnik (American Society for Surgery of the Hand)
- E.F. Shaw Wilgis (American Society for Surgery of the Hand)
- Virchel E. Wood (American Society for Surgery of the Hand)
- Elvin G. Zook (American Association for Hand Surgery)
These Pioneers have contributed to our knowledge and understanding of hand
surgery, both within their own countries and internationally. Their vast offerings
assist the hand surgeons of today and ultimately benefit innumerable patients. We
thank the Pioneers for their dedication to enriching the field of hand surgery.
Finances
A detailed Treasurer’s report will follow, but we should state that the financial
standing of the IFSSH is increasing. This is first of all due to the fantastic financial
success of the Seoul Congress. We have to thank the Korean organisers for the
impressive amount of US$100,000 transferred to our account. Improved diligence of
our member nations to pay annual dues, along with a good control of expenses, have
contributed to this successful growth.
Bursaries and Grants
The IFSSH Executive and Delegates’ Council Meeting have provided a further
bursary to support the Baragwanath Hand Fellowship, under the guidance of Prof
John Fleming in South Africa. Reports of previous Fellows of the Baragwanath
Hospital are available on the IFSSH website (www.ifssh.info).
Bursaries and grants are available for worthy projects that fulfil the criteria for the
use of IFSSH funds. All member societies are welcome to submit proposals to apply
for a bursary or congress assistance grant. The guidelines and criteria can be found
on the website. Applications should be submitted to the Secretary-General (secretary@ifssh.info) for consideration by the Executive Committee.
IFSSH website
The IFSSH website is continually updated with society details. We must thank our Indian friends, Raja Sabapathy and Santhosh Rajan, who are the providers and webmasters of our website. If your society wishes to place details of its annual
meeting on this website, please also inform the secretariat
(administration@ifssh.info) and include details of the dates, location and
website/email for enquiries.
IFSSH Congresses:
At the Delegates’ Council meeting held in Seoul, the hosting rights for the 2016
IFSSH Congress were awarded to Argentina. The regional rotation system of host
societies will now take effect, commencing with the bids for the 2019 Congress to
come from the European region.
XIIth IFSSH - IXth IFSHT Congress -New Delhi, India - 4th–8th March, 2013
XIIIth IFSSH – Xth IFSHT Congress – Buenos Aires, Argentina - 2016
2012 Delegates’ Council Meeting
The 2012 IFSSH Delegates' Council meeting is planned to be held in conjunction
with the annual congress of the Federation of Societies for Surgery of the Hand
(FESSH) in Antwerpen, 21-23 June. Further details will be provided in due time for
travel and accommodation arrangements.
Finally I would like to thank our permanent administrative secretary, Miss Belinda
Smith, for the impressive amount of work and its high professional standard, and with
whom I have a perfect collaboration and she has facilitated a lot of my activity. Also I
wish to express my thanks for the support and collaboration of our President, Ulrich
Mennen.
Zsolt Szabo
Secretary General, IFSSH
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