The Georgetown University Hospital Abdominal Wall Reconstruction conference, the world’s most comprehensive medical conference on hernia surgery and abdominal wall reconstruction, was held June 15–18, 2011, at the JW Marriott in Washington, DC, attracting 775 surgeons and other specialists from 33 countries, 44 U.S. states and eight Canadian provinces.

The recipient of the first Georgetown Lifetime Achievement Award in Abdominal Wall Reconstruction Dr. Jean Bernard Flament, Reims, France, (3rd from left) receives award from Georgetown University Hospital Abdominal Wall Reconstruction conference co-chairmen, from right, Dr. Stephen R.T. Evans, Dr. Maurice Y. Nahabedian and Dr. Parag Bhanot.

The meeting, expanded to four days, had a decidedly international focus this year. Jean Bernard Flament, MD, of Reims, France, was presented with the first Georgetown University Hospital Lifetime Achievement Award in Abdominal Wall Reconstruction. An internationally renowned surgeon, educator and author, Dr. Flament is a co-founder and past president of the European Hernia Society.

Among the 40 AWR faculty members were speakers from Italy, France, The Netherlands, Brazil and Canada, along with those from all over the U.S.

AWR conference co-chairmen Drs. Stephen R.T. Evans and Maurice Y. Nahabedian moderate a panel discussion.

“The world is getting flatter in surgery—it is not just an American community of surgeons, or even an American and European community, but a global community,” said Stephen R.T. Evans, MD, co-chairman of the conference. Dr. Evans is vice president of medical affairs, chief medical officer and professor of surgery at Georgetown University Hospital.

“AWR 2011 was a big success in terms of education, attendance, organization and in every other way,” said Co-Chairman Maurice Y. Nahabedian, MD, professor in the department of plastic surgery at Georgetown.

With more than 775 physicians and surgeons attending Georgetown University Hospital’s Abdominal Wall Reconstruction 2011 conference, June 15-18, it was a “full house” in the education ballroom at the JW Marriott Washington DC.

“We were especially pleased by the education program this year, with over 75 lecture and interactive discussion sessions,” said Parag Bhanot, MD, co-chairman. Dr. Bhanot is assistant professor of surgery at Georgetown and director of the Georgetown Hernia Center.

A faculty of 40 from more than 30 leading universities and medical centers presented on the latest developments in abdominal wall reconstruction.

Most registered delegates to the conference were general, plastic and trauma surgeons, along with wound, ostomy and continence nurses and other wound care specialists. More than two dozen medical device and pharmaceutical companies exhibited at the conference, which is in its third year.

Surgeons unable to attend the meeting in person could view all conference sessions live and on demand online via Portal Education.

Conference Co-Chairman Stephen R.T. Evans, MD, Vice President of Medical Affairs, Chief Medical Officer, Professor of Surgery at Georgetown University Hospital, welcomes a large and diverse audience to AWR in Washington, DC.

Media Contact: Marianne Worley
Phone: 703-558-1287
Email: WorleyM@gunet.georgetown.edu

Patient Contact: 202-342-2400