A unique foot and ankle course is about to take the stage in Tampa, Florida. The biennial American Orthopedic Foot and Ankle Society’s (AOFAS) Surgical Complications Course attracts foot and ankle specialists from the interested to the experienced. The uniqueness of this course lies in its academic premise: Each lecture is limited to a discussion on the complications of a procedure or condition, followed by the methods to achieve a successful resolution. This course is not a technical review of the procedure itself, it is solely a candid discussion on complications, which are rarely analyzed to this degree in the world of orthopedics.
The key to putting on such a challenging course is the makeup of the faculty. Each faculty member must reveal in depth what surgeons traditionally don’t openly discuss: their own complications. Not many faculty would accept this “generous offer.” However, when Steven L. Haddad, M.D., immediate past president of the AOFAS calls, most surgeons do give him a listen. Dr. Haddad, who is chairing the event this year, tells OTW, “I started this course in 2007 because I wanted something unique where we would not just review basic or advanced procedures; those courses are more common. My goal was to create a safe environment where surgeons could openly discuss their complications and how they dealt with them. The key is honesty, and without it, the complication becomes nothing more than a disappointing outcome for the patient. Rather, I wanted to turn this unfortunate experience into an opportunity to learn, so that both surgeons and patients might benefit.”
The next AOFAS Surgical Complications Course—or “bearing of the soul” as Dr. Haddad calls it—will take place November 5-7, 2015 in Tampa, Florida. Dr. Haddad: “I have assembled a faculty of seven highly trained and well-respected foot and ankle surgeons…individuals who are known to be honest about managing complications. The audience recognizes that these surgeons are highly skilled, and have a wealth of experience, and thus they have the ability to manage unsolicited outcomes with poise and persistence.”
Subject material covers the gamut of foot and ankle pathology, including individual procedures of the forefoot, midfoot, hindfoot, and ankle. “Unique to this year is an in-depth analysis of total ankle arthroplasty complications, as well as state-of-the-art discussions on ‘making nonunion a thing of the past’ and ‘assessing alignment: how to avoid imbalance in the first place.’ We will cover the critical topics of avoiding incision complications, managing infection, and limiting symptomatic nerve damage. Finally, the audience will have a dedicated session to present their own complications to the combined faculty, achieving the ultimate second opinion in the appropriate forum. Upon conclusion, the participant will have a thorough understanding of the world of foot and ankle complications, and how to successfully treat them. This is one course not to miss!”
For more information on the AOFAS Surgical Complications Course, please visit:
http://www.aofas.org/education/SurgicalCX/Pages/SurgicalCX.aspx
