Today Agenda: Controversies in Neurosurgery 2014

Charles La Trobe Lecture Theatre, Ground Floor Function Centre, The Royal Melbourne Hospital

0800 – 0830 WELCOME AND OPENING
0830 – 1100 CONTROVERSIES IN LOW GRADE GLIOMA

• M Berger – Resection of low grade glioma- what is the “gold-standard”. A surgeon’s opinion
• TBC – Adjuvant therapy for low grade glioma  – what, when, does anything really work?
• K Aldape – Molecular classification of brain tumours- how should it change our management?
• Panel – Case Discussion led by Kate Drummond

Morning Tea 1045 – 1115  

1115 – 1230 CONTROVERSIES IN CHORDOMA AND CHONDROSARCOMA    

• G Zadeh – Surgery for chordoma and chondrosarcoma- a large institutional experience
• I Barani – Chordoma and chondrosarcoma- radiation options- is it worthwhile?
• Panel  – Case Discussion led by Edward Laws

Lunch 1230-1300
1300 – 1400       Combined Session with Royal Melbourne Hospital Grand Rounds
The Peter Petty Memorial Oration- Professor Tiit Mathiesen
“Publish or Perish – Is there something rotten in academia?”   
1400 – 1450 CONTROVERSIES IN BRAIN TUMOUR NEUROSURGERY

• J Rutka – Management of paediatric brain tumours – an update

Afternoon Tea 1450-1520

1520 – 1700  CONTROVERSIES IN MENINGIOMA

• G Zadeh – Treatment of atypical and malignant meningioma – the role of surgery
• R Smee – Treatment of atypical and malignant meningioma – the role of radiotherapy
• K Drummond – Recurrent haemangiopericytoma – surgery or radiation?
• Comment from I Barani
• A Kaye – Extent of resection in skull base meningioma – back to the past
• Comment from I Barani

AASNS Executive Meeting, 5:15 pm, Seminar Room, Function Centre, Royal Melbourne Hospital
Conference Dinner, 7pm, University House, The University of Melbourne
Dinner Speaker – Prof E R Laws – “Controversies in Neurosurgery – my life”

0830 – 1030 CONTROVERSIES IN SPINAL NEUROSURGERY

• M Wang – How minimal is minimally invasive? MIS vs. open fusion – complications and results
• G Brazenor – Disc replacement – does it avoid the shortcomings of a fusion?
• A Morokoff – Neurosurgery for back pain – is it ever worthwhile?
• M Winder – Recurrent lumbar disc herniation – discectomy vs. fusion?        
• Discussion        

Morning Tea 1030 – 1100 

1100 – 1230 CONTROVERSIES IN SPINAL NEUROSURGERY

• M Wang – Stem cells and bone morphogenic protein role in spine surgery – efficacy, risks and cost?
• P Teddy – Spinal stimulation – when is it ever necessary?
• M Wong – Surgical strategies for spinal metastases – who and how?
• J Laidlaw – The unstable cervical spine in the elderly patient
• Discussion

Lunch 1245 – 1330
1330 – 1545 CONTROVERSIES IN VASCULAR NEUROSURGERY

• B Misra – The MCA aneurysm – stent, coil or clip?
• P Mitchell – The MCA aneurysm – stent, coil or clip?
• T Mathiesen – The Grade 3 AVM- management choices
• M Morgan – The unruptured aneurysm in the older patient
• B Misra – Cavernous sinus surgery – is it dead?
• Discussion

Afternoon Tea 1545-1615

1615 – 1730 MY GREATEST DISASTER

• Ed Laws
• Mitch Berger
• Jim Rutka
• Tiit Mathiesen
• Michael Wang