Rosemont, Ill. (March 20, 2019) – Nearly 600 foot and ankle orthopaedic surgeons and advanced health practitioners from all over the world gathered in Las Vegas on March 16 for the American Orthopaedic Foot & Ankle Society (AOFAS) Specialty Day 2019. This full day focused on foot and ankle orthopaedic education featured interactive, discussion-based symposia, research papers, and a combined afternoon program with the Orthopaedic Trauma Association.
Discussion and debate were prevalent throughout the program, requiring presenters to defend their positions and data. As AOFAS Specialty Day Program Chair Steven L. Haddad, MD, explained, “Senior-level moderators were chosen to challenge presenters through engaging dialogue, while prompting the audience to get involved in validating presented concepts.”
The meeting covered a range of topics, from surgical techniques for ankle arthritis and flatfoot, to the latest research on total ankle replacements and opioid consumption following foot and ankle surgery. Opioid abuse is of particular concern to foot and ankle orthopaedic surgeons, who often prescribe opioids to manage pain after surgery.
Dr. Haddad stated, “Opioid addiction is front and center in the world of national healthcare concerns. As physicians, we need to incorporate alternatives, when appropriate, into our postoperative protocols. These presentations provided new insight in guiding our patients through the difficult experience of foot and ankle pain.”
AOFAS announced the recipients of the 2019 Research Grants for promising foot and ankle research projects. The AOFAS Research Grants Program awarded three Pilot Project Grants (up to $5,000 each), three Small Project Grants (up to $20,000 each), and one Established Project Grant ($40,000). The Established Project Grant was presented to Irvin Oh, MD; Stephanie Hao, BS; and John Daiss, PhD, for their project titled, “Immunoassay for Diagnosis and Tracking Treatment Response in Foot and Ankle Infection.” The complete list of grant recipients is available at aofas.org/researchgrants.
Advancing foot and ankle research is a priority for the AOFAS. “There is a need for quality clinical and basic science research in the orthopaedic foot and ankle specialty,” said Harold B. Kitaoka, MD, chair of the AOFAS Research Committee. “Through clinical research, we can improve diagnoses and treatments and discover new directions for basic science studies.”
The six recipients of the 2019 AOFAS Traveling Fellowship Awards were also announced at Specialty Day: Mohamed M. Abd-Ella, MD, from Egypt; Daniel S. Baumfeld, MD, from Brazil; Jun Young Choi, MD, from South Korea; Constantine A. Demetracopoulos, MD, from New York; Daniel Guss, MD, MBA, from Massachusetts; and Hui Zhang, MD, PhD, from China. These surgeons will attend the AOFAS Annual Meeting in September and spend two weeks visiting top foot and ankle institutions and learning from leaders in the field.
The Research Grants Program and Traveling Fellowship Awards are funded by the Orthopaedic Foot & Ankle Foundation.
About Foot and Ankle Orthopaedic Surgeons
Foot and ankle orthopaedic surgeons are medical doctors (MD and DO) who specialize in the diagnosis and treatment of musculoskeletal disorders and injuries of the foot and ankle. Their education and training consist of four years of medical school, five years of postgraduate residency, and a fellowship year of specialized surgical training. These specialists care for patients of all ages, performing reconstructive surgery for deformities and arthritis, treating sports injuries, and managing foot and ankle trauma.
About the AOFAS
The American Orthopaedic Foot & Ankle Society (AOFAS) mobilizes our dynamic community of foot and ankle orthopaedic surgeons to improve patient care through education, research, and advocacy. As the premier global organization for foot and ankle care, AOFAS delivers exceptional events and resources for continuous education, funds and promotes innovative research, and broadens patient understanding of foot and ankle conditions and treatments. By emphasizing collaboration and excellence, AOFAS inspires ever-increasing levels of professional performance leading to improved patient outcomes. For more information visit the American Orthopaedic Foot & Ankle Society online at aofas.org.
Contact:
Christie Brannon
Marketing and Communications Specialist
Office: 847-430-5127
cbrannon@aofas.org