EWAS Milestone Achieved in Strasbourg

The European Wrist Arthrosocpy Society (EWAS) recently celebrated its 30th IRCAD Advanced arthroscopy course in Strasbourg November 29–30, 2013. EWAS also just passed a significant milestone of 1,000 students who have completed a EWAS course since its inception.

The birthplace of EWAS was in Guyancourt, France on April 19, 2005, where it was formed by a group of nineteen surgeons from the four corners of Europe, along with the generous sponsorship of Storz., to further the development of and teaching of wrist arthroscopy. Thanks to Jacques Marescaux, the founder of IRCAD (a research center devoted to cancers of the digestive system in Strasbourg France), EWAS was able to take advantage of the training facilities at the European Institute for Telesurgery (EITS) at IRCAD. The first basic and advanced EWAS arthroscopy training courses were held in Strasbourg, but five years ago the IRCAD Asia center was opened in Taiwan, followed by the IRCAD Brazil facility in Baretos three years ago. These courses have evolved into highly specialized, cutting-edge meetings where the exchange of ideas by the faculty and participants has led to the advent of many new techniques. In addition, wrist courses have been held in a variety of locations either as a part of EWAS or under their sponsorship, including courses in Hong Kong, Rotterdam, Netherlands, Copenhagen, Denmark, Markröningen, Germany, Arezzo, Italy, Barcelona, Spain, Krakow, Poland, Buenos Aires, Argentina, Poznan, Poland, Shanghai, China, Miami, United States, and Lisbon, Portugal, with future courses planned for Los Angeles, United States, Bogota, Colombia, Mumbai, India, and Australia.

The EWAS is stronger than ever, with a rapidly growing membership that now numbers more than 700 members worldwide. In addition, the members have recently voted to make the Journal of Wrist Surgery the official journal of EWAS.

EWAS will soon be celebrating its 10th year at a congress which will be held in London in December 2015.

Thank you to all those who believed in the future of EWAS.

Fig. 1 Terry Whipple (front and center) a pioneer of wrist arthroscopy is surrounded by past and future presidents of the EWAS on Saturday, Nov. 30, 2013, at the entrance to the IRCAD-EITS center in Strasbourg, France. From left to right standing: past presidents: Didier Fontes (France), Riccardo Luchetti (Italy), Francesco De Pinal (Spain), Terry Whipple (a pioneer in wrist arthroscopy) Tommy Lindau (UK), Toshiyasu Nakamura (Japan), Max Haerle (Germany), and David Slutsky (US), with upcoming presidents Andrea Atzei (Italy) and Pak-cheong Ho (Hong Kong, SAR China).Front row (kneeling): founder of the EWAS, Christophe L. Mathoulin (France) on the left and the future secretary-general, Jan-Ragnar Haugstvedt (Norway).