Neuromodulation News: July 2018

President's Message l Impact Factor Increases l 14th World Congress Preparations l Interim Meeting in August l Joint INS European Chapter Meeting l Expert Panel on Amputation Pain in October l 2019 Giants of Neuromodulation l NANS Meeting Abstracts Published l Conference on Biomedical Applications of Electromagnetic Fields l Ways to Get Involved

A Message from the President

Dear INS members and friends,

It is with this letter I reminisce on the past and joyously ponder the future. Over the past three years, it has been an honor to serve you as the 7th person to hold office as INS president. I have been pleased to see how we have deepened a degree of what might be considered rigorous involvement in several areas that are important to practitioners and their fellow professionals at many points in their careers. I have had the honor of working as a part of INS leadership for many years as a member of the board of directors, INS secretary, president elect and then as your president. I will still commit myself to the betterment of the field and the INS as the past president as I strive to be an ambassador for patient access and technology development throughout the world. I would like to spend a few minutes to point out the state of the INS and look at our roadmap for future success working together as a global community.
 
The journal continues to shine as the best multi-disciplinary peer-reviewed periodical in the field, and one in which practice guidelines under the Polyanalgesic Consensus Conference and the Neurostimulation Appropriateness Committee are periodically published and updated. As my term comes to a close, plans are in place to create an “INS Therapy Consensus Committee” that will be charged with developing such consensus papers, covering the following areas:

Intrathecal Drug Delivery - Pain
Intrathecal Drug Delivery - Spasticity
Spinal Cord Stimulation
Brain Stimulation
Dorsal Root Ganglion Stimulation
Evidence Analysis

The journal has prospered under the excellent leadership of Robert Levy, MD, PhD, and now continues the same commitment to excellence under Acting Editor Robert Foreman, PhD. I also want to thank Elliot Krames, MD, for the vision to create this jewel of knowledge. The editor will hold a non-voting position on the board of directors going forward. This will be a change based on our bylaw modifications first agreed to in Scotland during our last full board meeting.
 
Meanwhile, we have created 11 committees that are creating synergies by harnessing the passion and interests of members and providing an organizational means to prioritize and pursue goals, such as exploration of new chapter development, global expansion of the field, increased diversity, an improved conflict-of-interest policy, and vigorous attention to scientific rigor in continuing education.
 
In addition, many of our specialist members have enthusiastically, ably, and generously shared their time, talents, and interests to further career development, as either a mentor or mentee in the INS Young Neuromodulators Committee. All practitioners are welcome to explore becoming members of that committee. We are committed to helping young physicians and scientists achieve greatness in the field, with encouragement to avoid professional jealousy and nurturing a commitment to success.
 
In response to our recent invitation, all our committees now have representation from women in the field; nominations are still welcome, particularly to add representation from a woman to the Advocacy Committee. Thank you to the women who recently volunteered to join the Young Neuromodulators Committee, the Education & CME Committee, and the International Women in Neuromodulation Committee (iWIN).
 
Another development has been the establishment of Interim Meetings that take place in even-numbered years, in between the biennial INS World Congress. We look forward to the second INS Interim Meeting this August in Brazil. If you have not yet seen the stellar program, I urge you to take a look, at http://www.ins-rio2018.com.br, and to let any interested colleagues know about this event. I look forward to attending, along with a number of our officers who will be speaking along with other international experts.
 
Yet another first, coming quickly on the heels of the INS Interim Meeting in Brazil, is the 1st Joint Congress of the INS European Chapters in Nijmegen, the Netherlands, in September. We owe a debt of gratitude to Prof. Mike DeJongste and his team of organizers for the vision and initiative they utilized to achieve this event.
 
During the time of this meeting in the Netherlands in September, the INS executive officers will meet and conclude or start new terms of office. I will pass leadership to Dr. Robert Levy as our 8th president. I am confident the society will be in excellent hands and our momentum will continue to accelerate.  

As I conclude my term, another leader of the society also concludes his work. Dr. Fabián Piedimonte will conclude his term as INS treasurer. I want to personally thank Fabián. His combination of passion, intelligence, and commitment to the field has made our society and the world a better place. I consider Fabián a dear friend and truly appreciate his service. While we see Dr. Piedimonte's term end, we are blessed to have another person of great talent begin his service as INS treasurer. Please join me in welcoming Dr. Jan Vesper into this important role. Along with Dr. Konstantin Slavin, INS secretary, Jan will round out the executive committee. This leadership team will no doubt advance the science of our field, and the patient access around the world.  

I also want to thank Dr. Leo Kapural for his wonderful work as his term ends as director-at-large. The INS will announce the details of the election process for this DAL seat over the coming weeks.
 
Of course, in the months ahead, I am particularly excited about the tantalizing plans for the 14th World Congress from May 25 – 30, 2019 in Sydney, Australia. I hope to see many of you there. You can read more in this newsletter about progress toward that meeting. Already, the scientific committee and section chairs have been announced, in addition to the independent scientific oversight committee – which is an outgrowth of discussions of the full board during its 2017 meeting. The executive committee has placed a panel free of conflicts of interest to approve the final program. As many of you know prior to the last meeting we initiated both a scientific oversight committee and a committee on continuing medical education. This led to a program rated as our best in history with excellent ratings for being unbiased. We hope to continue to build on this excellent record. Scotland was our best-attended meeting to date, with the most new scientific content. In Sydney, I have appointed Dr. Marc Russo to oversee the meeting. Dr. Russo is a truly talented leader who will shepherd the meeting to an amazing success. In celebrating success we also want to honor those who have made this possible. In that tradition, we have also selected two pioneers to honor as Giants of Neuromodulation in 2019 – Prof. Michael Cousins and Dr. Richard North; there is more about that also in this newsletter. I want to thank each of them for being so critical to today’s state of the field.
 
In closing, it is my conviction that our vast pool of talented and dedicated members are the real source of what a dynamic, unique, and unsurpassed value the society offers – not just for our fellow members, but for the field as a whole, around the globe. I call for a spirit of unity among physicians, scientists and industry around the world to promote what is best for our patients, because at the end of the day, while we embrace technology, it is the patient safety and efficacy that drives all that we strive for in our joint journey to success.
 
Sincerely,

Timothy Deer, MD
President of INS

Impact Factor Increases for Neuromodulation: Technology at the Neural Interface

The 2017 impact factors have been announced for academic journals. The INS journal, Neuromodulation: Technology at the Neural Interface, has a new impact factor of 2.774. This is its highest impact factor yet, and the second year in a row it has increased. The 2016 impact factor was 2.641. Congratulations go to our journal editors, editorial staff, editorial board members, reviewers, authors, and publisher, with thanks for their skillful, dedicated, and generous contributions to this accomplishment.

INS 14th World Congress Scientific Program Development Begins

More than 50 session and lecture proposals have been submitted for the INS 14th World Congress, that will take place on May 25 – 30, 2019, at the International Convention Center in Sydney. We thank the proposal authors for their submissions, and appreciate the committee members' thoughtful reviews.

Taking these insightful contributions into consideration, the section chairs will develop the scientific program with significant input from the INS Scientific, Biennial Congress, and Education and CME Committees. Proposal authors will be notified if their sessions or lectures have been accepted for the program once the first draft is complete.

The final program draft will undergo an additional layer of review and vetting by the Scientific Oversight Panel, whose members are free of conflicts of interest.

We are honored to have these esteemed members participate in the INS Scientific Oversight Panel:

•    Mike DeJongste, MD, PhD
•    Brian Simpson, MD, FRCS
•    Michael Stanton-Hicks, MD, MBBS
•    Peter Teddy, DPHIL, FRACS, FFPMANZCA

INS 2019 Call for Abstracts

Please stay tuned for the call for abstracts later this month and mark the due date on your calendar: Dec. 3, 2018.  Even if you anticipate late-breaking results, please be sure to submit your abstract by this deadline. As in previous years, accepted abstracts will be published in the online version of the INS journal, Neuromodulation: Technology at the Neural Interface.

INS 2019 Registration

Registration will open later this month, so start making your plans now and register at the early bird rate to benefit from up to  $325 USD in savings.

The Second INS Interim Meeting Takes Place from Aug. 8 - 11, 2018 in Rio de Janeiro

The International Neuromodulation Society Second Interim Meeting, Working Toward the Future, is being held in collaboration with the Brazilian Society of Neuromodulation (Sociedade Brasileira Neuromodulação - SBNM) in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil from Aug. 8 – 11, 2018. This is the first international meeting about neuromodulation therapies to take place in Rio de Janeiro, and the program promises to be a fascinating and refreshing look at where the field is, and where it is going.

Registration is now open. You may view the meeting website at: http://www.ins-rio2018.com.br. Please send any questions to [email protected] and [email protected].

Speakers from Latin America, Europe and the United States will lead discussions about the state-of-the-art neuromodulatory therapies in a program that will be of interest to neuromodulators of all levels – whether they are just starting their neuromodulation education, have some experience, or hope to refine their knowledge and practice.

The comprehensive program will feature both invasive and non-invasive therapies, both of which play important roles in improving the lives of those in need. Please visit the meeting website to view the full program.

The event president is Alexandre C. Amaral, MD, president of the Brazilian Society of Neuromodulation; the scientific committee coordinator is Daniel Benzecry, MD.

The scientific committee members are:

INS 1st Joint European Congress, and Discussions About New Chapter Formation, Coming in September

Following the first World Congress on Neuromodulation (ICESS) in Groningen, in 1989, and the subsequent foundation of the INS in 1991, both the Scientific and the Groningen-Nijmegen organizing committees together with the Benelux Neuromodulation Society, like to celebrate the 3rd decade of International Neuromodulation Congresses with an inaugural joint scientific meeting of the European chapters, under the auspices of the INS, in Nijmegen, the Netherlands.

Nijmegen, the oldest town in the Netherlands, is awarded as the greenest capital of Europe. In addition, the Van der Valk Hotel, Lent is awarded with the Green Globe, for the most sustainable hotel.  

The main program of the 1st Joint Congress of the INS European Chapters on Neuromodulation: Technology to Improve Patients’ Lives, is scheduled from Thursday, Sept. 20, 2018 through Saturday, Sept. 22, in Nijmegen, the Netherlands. Furthermore, the Congress is preceded by a cadaver workshop and a hands-on workshop for nurses on Wednesday, Sept.19. Finally, on Saturday the 22nd there are parallel meetings of the individual European chapters.

The congress is designed to improve the efficiency of presenting annual scientific European chapter meetings, and to facilitate networking, collaboration and the exchange of knowledge. To bolster these objectives, also attention has been paid to the social program, including an opening reception on the evening of Wednesday, Sept. 19, with optional networking and sightseeing activities the following day (boat tour or walking with walking dinner), with the opportunity of attending a conference dinner on the evening of Sept. 21. One unique entertainment will be an interactive presentation by illusionist Victor Mids, MD, who is known in the Netherlands for his televised magic program where he leads his audience through illusions and neuropsychological feats. Of note registration for these activities is required, separately.
 
There was a strong response to the call for abstracts, with 86 submitted. Many thanks to everyone who submitted an abstract. Accepted abstracts will be published in the online version of the INS journal Neuromodulation: Technology at the Neural Interface.

Registration is now open. We encourage you to register by August 19 for an early discount. Any non-members in Europe who register will receive a one-year membership in INS as part of the entry fee. Of note, there is only room for a limited number of participants!
 
You may view the scientific program and additional information at http://www.ecm2018.eu.
Please, email any questions to [email protected].

Finally, in conjunction with this meeting, doctors from all over Asia and Europe will meet in September in Nijmegen to discuss possible new chapter formation.
 
We are looking forward to a very inspiring, social and magnificent scientific meeting
and to welcoming many of you to this inaugural event in Nijmegen!

On behalf of the organizing committees,

Mike JL DeJongste, MD, chair and Robert T.M. van Dongen, MD, co-chair

Caro Edelbroek, NP, organizer Nurse workshop
Erkan Kurt, MD, organizer cadaver workshop
Kaare Meier, MD PhD, president Nordic Chapter of the INS
Phyllis McPhillips, NP, co-organizer workshop for nurses
Sharon de Puijsselaar, GCB
Monique Steegers, MD, PhD, president BNS chapter of the INS
Jan Vesper, MD, PhD, president of the German chapter of the INS

Expert Panel on Amputation Pain in October

Two Pioneers Will Receive the INS Giant of Neuromodulation Award in 2019

The INS leadership is honored to recognize Prof. Michael Cousins and Dr. Richard North, who will receive the INS’s fifth Giant of Neuromodulation Award during the INS 14th World Congress in Sydney, Australia, in May 2019. The award recognizes a lifetime of lasting contributions to bring neuromodulation to people who need it.

Prof. Cousins and Dr. North have dedicated much of their long careers to improving the lives of people who live with chronic pain. Both proponents of evidence-based medicine, they have educated those within and outside of the field with their prolific, seminal publications, shaping how chronic pain is understood and treated.  

Prof. Cousins is an emeritus professor of pain medicine at the University of Sydney and Royal North Shore Hospital. In his five decades as a leader and advocate for the field, he pioneered increased recognition of chronic pain as a disease in its own right, influencing health policies in Australia and abroad.

Dr. North, retired professor of Neurosurgery, Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, has been instrumental in the development of neuromodulation as a field. His seminal 2005 paper on spinal cord stimulation versus repeated spine surgery is one of the most-cited papers in the field. Dr. North is also the co-founder and president of The Neuromodulation Foundation. The foundation is active in developing clinical trial designs and practice parameters, and produces WIKISTIM. He is editor-in-chief of this searchable website that displays the results of scientific research in neuromodulation and encourages collaboration.

NANS Meeting Abstracts

Abstracts from the January 2018 meeting of the North American Neuromodulation Society (NANS) have now been published in the April online issue of Neuromodulation: Technology at the Neural Interface. (21:3).

Future online issues of the journal will include abstracts from the February 2018 meeting of the Canadian Neuromodulation Society, and from the upcoming September joint meeting of the INS European chapters.

INS Participates in Conference on Biomedical Applications of Electromagnetic Fields

The International Neuromodulation Society has endorsed an upcoming conference in Split, Croatia, from Sept. 10 - 13, 2018, the 1st World Conference on Biomedical Applications of Electromagnetic Fields. Neuromodulation, with all its medical and engineering aspects, is one of the many interesting topics.
 
Representing the INS and the field of neuromodulation at the event, Leonardo Kapural, MD, PhD, INS director-at-large, will give an invited lecture on "Emerging waveforms in spinal cord stimulation for control of chronic pain".
 
The conference is also followed by a special issue in Wiley's "Bioelectromagnetics" journal.
 
All the updated information can be followed at the conference web page https://EMF-Med2018.org.

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