s in past years, each morning of the ASA 2005 Annual Meeting will begin with the ever-popular breakfast panels. Sponsored by the subspecialty societies, 10 panel discussions will be presented and will highlight the controversies or cutting-edge topics brewing in each field. All Breakfast Panels will be held at the New Orleans Hilton Napoleon Ballroom from 7:30 a.m. to 8:45 a.m. Saturday, October 22, through Wednesday, October 26. One panel will be held on Saturday, two each on Sunday, Monday and Wednesday and three on Tuesday. Remember that the panels are presented concurrently so attendees are advised to make their selections and register early.

On Saturday, October 22, a critical care track task force has organized a breakfast panel called “Patient Safety: What Can We Learn From the ICU Experience?” This critical care Breakfast Panel will be moderated by Richard I. Cook, M.D., and will include presentations on “Going Solid: The Risks of Intensifying Tradeoffs in Clinical Care” and “Lost in Menuspace: Infusion Devices in the ICU and Future Technology’s Impact on Patient Safety.” The panel will address lessons learned in pursuing safety in the intensive care unit (ICU) and engage the audience in a wide-ranging, no-holds-barred discussion.

On Sunday, October 23, the American Society of Critical Care Anesthesiologists will sponsor “Transplantation: What’s New in 2005.” This panel will be moderated by Louis Brusco, M.D., and will include panel discussion of “New Horizons in Transplantation,” “Donation After Cardiac Death (DCD)” and “Preoperative Management of the Brain-Dead Organ Donor Patient.”

The Society of Neurosurgical Anesthesia and Critical Care will sponsor “ Current Issues in Anesthesia for Spine Surgery.” The panel will be moderated by Susan Black, M.D., and panel discussion will include “Perfusion Pressure Management During Spine Surgery,” “Motor-Evoked Potentials in Spine Surgery” and “Postoperative Ischemic Optic Neuropathy.”

On Monday, October 24, the Society for Cardiovascular Anesthesiologists will sponsor “Advanced Age — Acceptable Risk or Contraindications for Cardiac Surgery?” The panel will be moderated by Solomon Aronson, M.D., and George Silvay, M.D., Ph.D., with panel discussions covering “Preoperative Evaluation — How to Determine Age Risk,” “Monitoring and Anesthetic Management Considerations for the Elderly” and “Bleeding Complications: Are They More Frequent in the Elderly?”

The Society for Technology in Anesthesia will sponsor “Wireless Technology in the Operating Room,” and the panel will be moderated by Ravindra V. Prasad, M.D. Activities will include the presentation of research awards as well as panel presentations on “An Introduction to Wireless Technology,” “Wireless Technology: Current and Future Applications” and “Interference Amongst Wireless Devices.”

On Tuesday, October 25, the American Society of Regional Anesthesia and Pain Medicine will sponsor “Nerve Blocks 101: Solutions for Common Clinical Dilemmas” with panel moderator Admir Hadzik, M.D. Panel presentations will include “Paravertebral Blocks for Inguinal Hernia and Breast Surgery: A Crash Course for Success,” “Postoperative Pain Management After Total Knee Surgery: Making the Most of Your Continuous Catheters” and “Regional Anesthesia for Shoulder Surgery: Tips on How to Increase the Success Rate and Decrease the Risk of Complications.”

The Society for Obstetric Anesthesia and Perinatology will sponsor “Alleged Adverse Effects of Epidurals: Are We Placing Our Patients at More Risk Than We Want to Admit?” and will be moderated by William R. Camann, M.D. Panel presentations will include “Labor Progress and Outcome,” “Maternal Fever” and “Neonatal Effects of Labor Analgesia.”

The Society for Ambulatory Anesthesia is the sponsor of the Breakfast Panel titled “Out of Site, Out of Mind?” This panel will be moderated by Thomas W. Cutter, M.D, and will include presentations on “Will You Still Respect Me?” “Escort Services” and “You Touch Him Last.”

On Wednesday, October 26, the Section on Anesthesiology of the American Academy of Pediatrics will sponsor “Safety Concerns for Patients and Practitioners: How Is It Changing the Practice of Pediatric Anesthesia?” with panel moderator Constance S. Houck, M.D. Panel presentations will include “The Exploding Anesthesia Machine,” “Safety Catheters and Needle Systems” and “JCAHO Regulations and Sentinel Events.”

The Society for Education in Anesthesia will sponsor “Education Strategies That Work.” This breakfast panel will be moderated by Catherine K. Lineberger, M.D. Panel presentations will include “Simulation — Does It Work?” “Effective Large-Group Teaching” and “Authentic Problem-Based Learning.”

These 10 breakfast panels present a wide range of topics reflective of the major subspecialty society sponsors and should offer interesting educational opportunities for ASA Annual Meeting attendees presented in a different format than other portions of the Annual Meeting. We hope your breakfast experience will be enjoyable!

Rebecca S. Twersky, M.D., is Professor of Clinical Anesthesiology and Vice-Chair for Research, State University of New York Downstate Medical Center-Brooklyn, and Medical Director, Ambulatory Surgery Unit, Long Island College Hospital, Brooklyn, New York.