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AO Spine Latin America
Newsletter
Issue 16, March 2020
Global Spine Congress
Important GSC 2020 announcement: Coronavirus (COVID-19)
After careful evaluation backed by the latest scientific reports, the AO Spine International Board has decided to cancel this year’s GSC in Rio de Janeiro. Registration is therefore no longer possible. If you have already registered for the GSC, please contact [email protected] for more information. If you have questions or concerns that have not been addressed, please contact [email protected].

We would like to highlight that this decision does not affect our next courses in Latin America. If you have any question about the Latin-American calendar, please contact [email protected].
Country Council Members
AO Spine Mexico and Colombia elect new council members
New country council members in Mexico and Colombia began their three-year terms on February 1, 2020, following recent elections in those countries. Based on votes cast by the countries’ electorates of active members, the newly elected members were approved by the AO Spine Nomination Committee (NomCom).

In Mexico, Oscar Martinez was elected country council chairperson and will serve until January 2023. In Colombia, Rodolfo Paez was elected country council chairperson and will serve until January 2023. Elected as Education Ortho representative was Juan Manuel Sierra, whose term runs until January 2023.
2019 Annual Report
Check the AO Spine Latin America 2019 Annual Report
As a review of the past year, our Annual Report is a summary of all activities organized by AO Spine Latin America and it highlights the most significant accomplishments of the region. The report was web-based developed in order to facilitate the reading. Find out more about our programs and events.
Access our 2019 Annual Report ›
Study GroupGlobal Spine Congress
2020 AO Spine International Observership Program in Latin America
Thirty-four spine surgeons from 10 countries in Latin America have applied for the 2020 AO Spine Latin America International Observership Program in the region and their applications are now in the approval process.

During the application period that ended November 30, 2019, applications were received from candidates in the following countries: Argentina (10), Brasil (10), Peru (4), Colombia (2), Mexico (2), venezuela (2), Chile (1), Costa Rica (1), Dominican Republic (1) and Ecuador (1).

The International Observership program aims to ensure that the knowledge and skills acquired in AO educational events are applied in the daily work of spine surgeons in the region. It is an outstanding way for Latin American members to advance their professional careers with the benefit of improving their care of patients.

During their observerships, participants will learn and develop skills by observing highly skilled spine surgeons work. Candidates selected techniques or pathologies as follow:

Pathologies
NEW CALL
2020 AO Spine International Observership Program in Latin America
Due to the success of the first call, we will open a new application process. From February 24th to May 31st, 2020 the AO Spine members only can apply to watch highly skilled spine surgeons.

The experts list will now include Daniel Riew (US), Ronald Lehman (US), Lawrence Lenke (US), Jeffrey Wang (US), Alexander Vaccaro (US), Lorin Benneker (CH), Shanmuganathan Rajasekaran (IN), and Darrel Brodke (US).
Find out more about the requirements and the complete experts list here ›
Chairperson Education Program
Chairperson Education Program in Latin America
The last edition of the Chairperson Education Program (CEP) took place in Panama City (PA) on November 13-14, 2019, with nine participants from eight countries. The program offered the tools and training to make our members better teachers and experts in education. To the AO Foundation, Faculty development is the key to a successful teaching role for members, providing them with opportunities to challenge themselves while advancing their career.
Read more ›
Global Spine Congress
Global Spine Journal will receive an Impact Factor in June 2020
It is with extreme pleasure and excitement, that we can officially announce Global Spine Journal’s acceptance to the Clarivate Analytics Journal Citations Report (JCR). This acceptance means that Global Spine Journal will receive an Impact Factor! Our Impact Factor will be listed in the 2019 indexing which will be released in June! This is a huge milestone for Global Spine Journal and the Editors-in-Chief are extremely proud of this accomplishment and we would like to thank our deputy editors, managing editor, publisher, authors, readers, reviewers, and everyone at AO Spine and the AO Foundation for helping make GSJ a leading journal in the field of spine surgery.
Read more ›
MISS Curriculum
The MISS curriculum in action
From February 6 to 8, 2020, the “AO Spine Latin America Specimen Courses—Minimally invasive surgery” took place in Palm Beach (US). This was the first set of specimen courses in Latin America focused on minimally invasive spine surgery after the MISS Curriculum was launched in May 2019. Our specimen courses were developed in three different levels, and their curriculums provide practicing spine surgeons with concise, skills-based training in a variety of minimally invasive spinal procedures, thus improving their understanding of technical and operative aspects.
Level 1
It is aimed at surgeons doing open surgery but with little or no MISS experience. In this level the participant will learn to:
  • Diagnose the patient problem correlating the clinical findings with imaging and work up.
  • Recognize appropriate indications based on your skill set and case experience and outcome.
  • Select the appropriate MISS procedure for the pathology and indication and recognize when MISS is not the appropriate option.
  • Correctly set up the technology, OR, and the team for the procedure.
  • Perform microscopic MISS procedures: interlaminar microscopic lumbar discectomy.
  • Perform the fusion MISS procedures: Spinal biopsy, vertebroplasty, percutaneous thoracic and lumbar screws, percutaneous iliac screws and apply strategies to optimize arthrodesis.
  • Manage complications and apply a backup plan.
It includes the following procedures:
  • General MISS Skills
  • Interlaminar microscopic lumbar discectomy
  • Spinal biopsy
  • Vertebroplasty
  • Percutaneous thoracic and lumbar screws
  • Percutaneous iliac screws
Level 2
It is aimed at surgeons who have experience in Level 1 course techniques, which means with some experience with microscopes and tubes but not for complex MISS. In this level the participant will learn:
  • Diagnose the patient problem correlating the clinical findings with imaging and work up.
  • Recognize appropriate indications based on your skill set and case experience and outcome.
  • Select the appropriate MISS procedure for the pathology and indication and recognize when MISS is not the appropriate option.
  • Correctly set up the technology, OR, and the team for the procedure.
  • Perform the fusion MISS procedures (percutaneous thoracic and lumbar screws, TLIF, LLIF and ALIF) and apply strategies to optimize arthrodesis.
  • Manage complications and apply a backup plan.
It includes the following procedures:
  • TLIF
  • Over the top decompression
  • LLIF
  • ALIF
Level 3
It is aimed at surgeons with experience in MISS who use microscope and burr including complex. In this level the participant will learn:
  • Understand the indications for advanced surgical techniques in MISS in specific pathologies of the spine.
  • Share the experience (indications, complications and results) in advanced surgical techniques of MISS in lumbar pathology.
  • Compare results with similar procedures in open surgery and the understand the advantages and disadvantages of each technique.
  • Compare the use of different technologies in magnification and radiology for advanced MISS techniques.
It includes the following procedures:
  • Lateral ALIF
  • ACR
  • Prepsoas
  • TLIF over the top

Fidel Diaz (VE) attended the level 1 course last February. In his own words, “I attended an advanced specimen course two years ago, which, at the time, was the only MISS course available for me. After I took this course, I realized that what I really needed was a basic course to cover elementary surgical techniques and train fundamental skills, such as the use of the microscope and endoscope, burr, navigation… So, when I saw the opportunity to take part in a basic course, I quickly signed up for it. After attending this course, I can say, without a doubt, that I am prepared to attend an advanced course and benefit from it, which I intend to do next year.”
Event Calendar
March 01, 2020 — May 15, 2020
March 10
Online
March 14
Santiago
March 20-21
Guadalajara
March 20-21
Guadalajara
March 20
San José
March 21
Portoviejo
March 27
Buenos Aires
March 28
Online
March 28
Cali
March 28
Bogotá
March 28
Goiânia
April 03-04
São Paulo
April 16-17
Palm Beach
April 17-18
Palm Beach
April 18
Online
April 18
La Paz
April 25
João Pessoa
April 25
Bogotá
April 25
Monteria
April 25
Asunción
May 02
México D.F.
May 12
Online
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AO Spine Latin America, Av. Silva Jardim 2042 Cj 1505, 80250-200 Curitiba, Brasil

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