Dear Reader
Our lives were turned upside down this spring. Within our homes, our workplaces, and our AO Spine we had to reassess our values and activities and focus on what matters most. The rapid response to the COVID-19 pandemic on all fronts proves that we as surgeons and as an organization can adapt to change. I was immensely proud to see the global spine community come together to support each other, how agile we were in opening new channels for sharing, and how we took the lead in assessing the impact of the crisis.
In this issue of the AO Spine Newsletter, instead of walking with us through the streets of Rio, Emiliano Vialle unveils how the situation made him stop and re-evaluate priorities, how he sees the surgeon's lifestyle changing, and what the biggest drivers for change are.
Many surgeons are balancing out similar fundamentals in their lives and careers. We bring you a collection of sentiments from AO Spine members around the world, with a peek into how the pandemic touched their lives. I am grateful for our members for sharing their personal stories and excited to present the pictures from their "letters".
AO Spine Research was the first to assess the impact of COVID-19 on healthcare providers and spine surgeons specifically, and we were already able to publish the first results in the Global Spine Journal. This Newsletter coverage also provides you with thoughts from the study group. The second round of the study on Telemedicine has also been circulated. If you did not yet share your perspectives you can do so here. The survey is open until the end of May.
Because of COVID-19, we turned several launch events and members-only sessions form Global Spine Congress into virtual events. The first online Clinical Expert Advice session turned out to be a huge success with 450 participants. The next roundtable discussion will be on "Accidental tears in the dura mater that result in leakage of cerebral spinal fluid" and takes place on June 10. To register, click here.
The AO Spine RECODE-DCM study launched the top 10 unanswered research questions from their priority setting partnership. The study has the potential to change how people with DCM are diagnosed and treated in the future. You are invited to participate in the next stages and encouraged to take an active role.
This issue is packed with interesting stories and reports around AO Spine! The new AO Spine Curriculum is live and ready to be used. We bring you updates from our diversity initiative and the AO Spine Injury Classifications. The latest picks of the “best” spine reads are there. And so much more.
I hope you find the reading inspiring and informative and I look forward to seeing you soon!
Yours sincerely,
Norman Chutkan
Community Development Chairperson
