Dear friends of the WVOC,
In many ways it is hard to believe another 4 years has passed since the last WORLD VETERINARY ORTHOPAEDIC CONGRESS in Keystone Colorado (USA). This World Meeting is traditionally supported by two sister Societies ESVOT (European Society for Veterinary Orthopaedics and Traumatology) and VOS (Veterinary Orthopaedic Society). And it is with genuine pleasure that in their names, I welcome you from September 15th-18th, 2010 to the 3rd WVOC in Bologna (Italy).
There is no doubt that 2009 and the first months of 2010 have been on all our minds at least for economic and financial reasons. One way to reduce financial discomfort for veterinarians is to provide them with education in a reduced number of meetings without a diminution in quality. That is one of the reasons why James L. Cook for VOS and myself for ESVOT have signed two agreements in February 2009. One is to continue to support the organisation every 4 years of a WVOC, alternating between North America and Europe, the other is to promote exchange of information at different levels between these Societies.
The WVOC will commence with wet labs for large and small animal veterinarians organised at the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine of the University of Bologna. As an example three courses are organised for the equine colleagues (stemcell and PRP lab, MRI reading lab and a lameness locator lab).
After dry labs and specific in depth seminars, such as in bovine orthopaedics, at the Congress Centre, the meeting will start and cover emerging discoveries in orthopaedics and traumatology as well as innovative diagnostics and therapies. Many fine papers will be presented by the leading experts in the respected fields. The small animal program will focus on “old favourites” such as the stifle, elbow, patellar luxation and hip trauma while “newer” topics include revisions, distal limb trauma, legislation & clinical research and tools to measure clinical success. For equine colleagues, In-depth sessions on advanced imaging, critical review of biologic therapeutics, new technologies in lameness diagnosis, subchondral bone injury and joint rehabilitation are organised.
This year’s program also continues the successful format of providing you with the best State of the Art lectures with information all participants will benefit from. This year’s topics will be Tissue engineering with mesenchymal stem cells in human orthopaedics - What do we know today? The fate of the post-traumatic knee and Cartilage resurfacing with ACI and MACI: have they stood the test of time?
This program is full of education opportunities. A Welcome Reception will be held in the oldest University of Europe located in the centre of Bologna. You can also attend a wine and cheese party during the poster session and the Congress banquet on Saturday at the Palazzo de Rossi.
Finally, everyone working with the WVOC would like to make sincere thanks to all of our sponsors and exhibitors. Without them, and of course without you, this wonderful event would not happen. It would also not happen if from the beginning John Houlton, Chairman of the 3rd WVOC Committee, and his Scientific Committee composed of John Innes and Michael Schramme for ESVOT, Allison Stewart and Liz Pluhar for VOS, and Bernadette van Ryssen for the arthroscopic group were not dedicated to offer you the best ever program in veterinary orthopaedics for bovine, equine and companion animals. Special thanks must also go to Aldo Vezzoni, Local Organising Secretary, for making the link between ESVOT and SCIVAC and for liaising with the Congress Organising Office.
As your host, it is an honour to welcome you in Bologna.
Prof. Olivier M. Lepage President ESVOT
