When members planning to attend the ASA Annual Meeting review the 2004 program, they will notice several new sessions, including two subspecialty learning tracks and a plenary lecture. These additions were recommended by the Task Force on Annual Meeting Opportunities, a group constituted to evaluate the structure and content of the Annual Meeting and to ensure that ASA offers the most effective educational activities to meet the needs of its members. After an analysis of the structure and content of the meeting, the task force recommended a trial of concentrated educational programs devoted to clinical subspecialties.

Critical care medicine and obstetric anesthesia were selected for the content of the initial tracks. The task forces that planned the two educational tracks consisted of representatives from ASA and the respective subspecialty societies, the American Society of Critical Care Anesthesiologists (ASCCA) and the Society for Obstetric Anesthesia and Perinatology (SOAP). Each track will be presented over a two-day period and will include both traditional (refresher course lectures and panels) and innovative educational sessions (pro/con debates, oral scientific paper presentations). The goal of the tracks is to offer an integrated program for anesthesiologists who desire a more in-depth focus on content within the subspecialty area. The two tracks will take place within the Annual Meeting, and, therefore, attendees can participate in the entire two-day track or can choose to mix portions of the tracks with the other concurrent educational offerings.

The critical care track, planned by a task force chaired by Neal H. Cohen, M.D., will take place on Saturday and Sunday. The sessions will focus on the care of critically ill patients and will include topics such as central nervous system resuscitation, fluid management, glycemic control and transfusion therapy. Scientific paper presentations on critical care will be included within the track and will be grouped into sessions covering outcomes and safety, sepsis and inflammation, and patient management. The ASCCA/Anesthesiology Special Session will be held on Saturday morning within the critical care track. Scientific papers will be selected for presentation along with commentary from the researcher’s mentor. This session offers an opportunity to learn about cutting-edge research in critical care medicine and to interact with the investigators. The track also will provide additional educational opportunities, including panel discussions, poster-discussion sessions and a number of debates on important issues in patient management.

The obstetric anesthesia track, planned by a task force chaired by David J. Wlody, M.D., will take place on Monday and Tuesday. Beginning on Monday with the Sol Shnider SOAP Breakfast Panel “New Horizons in OB Anesthesia,” the track will contain sessions covering new concepts in obstetric anesthesia. Each morning, refresher course lectures will be offered concurrently with scientific abstract poster presentations. Afternoon sessions consist of panels such as “Regulatory Issues in OB Anesthesia,” a clinical forum and a debate titled “Masks Should Be Worn During Neuraxial Anesthesia.” For individuals who attend only the weekend portion of the Annual Meeting and would be unable to attend the obstetric track, there will be several obstetric refresher course lectures held as part of the traditional Refresher Course Lectures on Saturday and Sunday. These refresher courses will provide coverage of broader obstetric topics.

Since the tracks represent a new approach to the design of the meeting, the Task Force on Annual Meeting Opportunities is most interested in evaluating the effectiveness of this concept. Questionnaires will be available for attendees to voice their opinions regarding the sessions within the tracks and the overall value of the tracks in their educational experience. If the initial two tracks are positively received, the task force plans to expand the number of tracks offered at future meetings with a long-range goal of including tracks for all subspecialties recognized by ASA.

Discussions within the task force also focused on the rapid advance of cellular and molecular research and the need to highlight the relevance of recent discoveries to the clinical practice of anesthesiology. Therefore a new plenary session is being introduced to focus on translational topics. Louis J. Ignarro, Ph.D., is one of three individuals who shared the Nobel Prize in 1998 for the discovery of nitric oxide and its role in vascular regulation. Dr. Ignarro will speak on “Nitric Oxide as a Unique Signaling Molecule in Biology” on Tuesday, October 26, from 12 noon to 12:50 p.m. at the Las Vegas Hilton. Nitric oxide is one of the simplest molecules in nature, but it participates in multiple physiologic processes, including vasodilation, antiplatelet effects and neurotransmitter functions. Both nitroglycerin and sildenafil (Viagra^®) produce their clinical effects through nitric oxide. Currently serving as Professor of Molecular and Medical Pharmacology at the University of California-Los Angeles, Dr. Ignarro continues his research on the regulation, production and functions of nitric oxide. His presentation will be a wonderful opportunity to learn from an internationally recognized scientist about a simple molecule that has diverse effects and plays an important role in our clinical practices.

The Task Force on Annual Meeting Opportunities hopes that you will participate in these new offerings and will be most interested in learning whether they enhanced the value of your educational experience.

Arnold J. Berry, M.D., is Professor of Anesthesiology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia.