In Latin, doctoris means “Teacher”, and Tony Castellvi’s meeting in Duck Key (coming up fast—sessions start promptly at 7:30 am, March 31st) has grown to become the premier teaching meeting for spine surgeons in the United States since its beginning five years ago.
Officially called “2011 Current Solutions in Spine Surgery”, the seminar is held on a spit of land that juts out into a beautiful, turquoise cay that lies mid-way between Miami and Key West on that amazing chain of islands known as the Florida Keys.
Days at the Duck Key spine surgeon meeting begin promptly at 7:30 am and for several hours each day attendees experience one of the rare moments where senior faculty members from around the U.S., Latin America and Europe share their studies, tips and tricks, new technology experiences, diagnostic problems, procedural train wrecks and successes. And they do all that in an intimate, open and collegial setting.
Seriously, this is one of the very best spine meetings of the year.
I arrive, typically, the night before and then find a quiet spot near the back of the meeting room with my computer and type and type. What I learn every year at Duck Key informs the issues that we work on at OTW and I’m sure the way that spine surgeons adjust their practices throughout the remainder of the year. Each year Tony serves up speakers with new studies to debate and discuss. Each year, the off-the-record discussions and debates are outstanding. Each year, new information about products and companies and, who is rising to meet the challenges of today’s practice and who is not, emerges from either the podium or in the hallways.
Every spine surgeon should make time to get to Duck Key for Tony Castellvi’s course.
Here are some of the highlights for this year (remember, you only have a couple of weeks before it starts).
This year’s program reflects many of the changes occurring in spine surgery including a rise in interest in biologic solutions and a return to more classic fusion and decompression procedures. As he always does, Dr. Castellvi has organized his meeting well.
Day One (Thursday, March 31):
Biomechanics, Biologics, Diagnostics and Motion Preservation (selected highlights)
- Role of Mesenchymal Stem Cells for Fusion (Ira Fedder, M.D.)
- BMP Complications (John Small, M.D.)
- Clinical Based Guidelines for Antibiotics and Antithrombotics in Spine Surgery (Chuck Procuniar, MS, ARNP)
- Kinematic Index (Bruce Robie. M.D., Ph.D.)
- Role of Disc Height Restoration with DDD Decision (Richard Guyer, M.D.)
- Economics of Motion Preservation (Jean-Jacques Abitbol, M.D., FRCSC)
- Clinical Experience and the Rational Behind an Interspinous Technology (Alagappan Sivaraman, M.D.)
- Morbidity & Mortality of Failed FDA Trials (Reginald Davis, M.D.)
Day Two (Friday, April 1)
Adult Degenerative Spinal Deformity and Lumbar Disc Disease (selected highlights)
- Indirect Decompression (Antonio Castellvi, M.D.)
- Indications for Lateral XLIF Stand Alone (Federico Girardi, M, D, )
- Anchoring Long Constructs with Axial Lif (Neel Anand, M.D.)
- Logic of Biologics in Fusion (Reginald Davis, M.D.)
- Fusion versus Total Disc Replacement (Rolando Garcia, M.D.)
- Hybrid Fusion and Total Disc Replacement (James Billys, M.D.)
- Biologics for DDD (Domagoj Coric, M.D.)
Day Three (Saturday, April 2)
Cervical and Updates (selected highlights)
- Biomaterials and Cervical Total Disc Replacement (Lisa Ferrara, Ph.D.)
- Zero Profile Device Biomechanics (Boyle Cheng, Ph.D.)
- Metanalysis 1, 200 Cervical Total Disc Replacements (Paul McAfee, M.D.)
- DTR MRI for Tumor (Ryan Murtagh, M.D.)
- Off Label Cervical Non Fusion (Kenneth Pettine, M.D.)
- The Value and Sustainability of Medical Tourism in Spinal Surgery (Paul McAfee, M.D.)
- Fears and Expectations from Year 2000 Now Unfolded in 2010 (Jack Zigler, M.D.)
This is a great program. The selected highlights above represent only about a third of the program and doesn’t include the many workshops that are also held after the presentations.
We hope our readers make it a point to get to Duck Key this year and participate in one of the very best and most useful spine surgeon meetings of the year. To register, go to http://www.foreonline.org/
We look forward to seeing many of you at Duck Key for an outstanding meeting.
