his year a variety of anesthesiology subspecialty societies have once again joined with ASA to offer a stellar array of Breakfast Panels at the 2007 Annual Meeting. Meeting attendees will be able to hear subspecialty experts opine on extremely timely topics in a congenial breakfast setting with friends and colleagues. The 2007 Breakfast Panels will be held between 7 a.m. and 8:15 a.m. on each of the meeting days, Saturday through Wednesday, with a choice of two sessions to choose from each day. Significantly for 2007, the Breakfast Panels are offered right in Moscone Center, so there will be no untoward transportation delays between the Breakfast Panels and the other exciting offerings at this year’s Annual Meeting.

As usual ASA advises you to purchase tickets for your Breakfast Panel selections as soon as possible. You can register online at www2.ASAhq.org, or you can purchase these tickets using your registration book that is being mailed to members this month. These popular sessions may sell out long before the meeting starts.

On Saturday, October 13, there will be a choice of two Breakfast Panels, “Off-Site Ambulatory Anesthesia: Innovation or Pandora’s Box?” chaired by Shireen Ahmad, M.D., and sponsored by the Society for Ambulatory Anesthesia, or the panel presentation “Bringing Critical Care to Perioperative Care,” chaired by Avery Tung, M.D., and sponsored by the American Society of Critical Care Anesthesiologists.

On Sunday, October 14, the two Breakfast Panel options include “Non-Invasive Cardiac Output: Myth or Reality?” sponsored by the Society for Technology in Anesthesia and chaired by Steven J. Barker, M.D., or “Blood Conservation: What You Need to Know,” sponsored by the Society of Cardiovascular Anesthesiologists and chaired by Linda J. Shore-Lesserson, M.D.

On Monday, October 15, the Society for Education in Anesthesia will sponsor a Breakfast Panel chaired by Kathy D. Schlecht, D.O., titled “Pathways for Personal and Professional Growth,” while F. Michael Ferrante, M.D., will chair the American Society of Regional Anesthesia and Pain Medicine (ASRA) Breakfast Panel titled “Low Back Pain: The Essentials.”"

Tuesday morning, October 16, one of the Breakfast Panel offerings will be “Obstetric Anesthesia Lessons Learned From the Past,” chaired by Gurinder M. Vasdev, M.D., and sponsored by the Society for Obstetric Anesthesia and Perinatology. The other Breakfast Panel on Tuesday, “Update on Airway Management in Pediatric Patients,” will be sponsored by the Society for Pediatric Anesthesia and the American Academy of Pediatrics Section on Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine and will be chaired by Constance S. Houck, M.D.

To get us started on Wednesday, the Society of Neurosurgical Anesthesia and Critical Care will sponsor the panel “It’s Hip to Be Cool: Hypothermia and the Injured Brain,” chaired by W. Andrew Kofke, M.D., M.B.A., while ASRA will sponsor the panel “The Changing Complexion of the Acute Pain Service: From PCEA to PCRA,” chaired by Kenneth D. Candido, M.D.

The Section on Annual Meeting sincerely thanks all of the subspecialty societies who have organized these most interesting Breakfast Panels for the 2007 Annual Meeting attendees’ edification and enjoyment. We hope that all of the ASA members planning to attend the upcoming Annual Meeting in San Francisco will take advantage of the convenience of the Breakfast Panels being held in Moscone Center and will start the day off with some timely knowledge updates during the breakfast hour.

Patricia A. Kapur, M.D., is Professor and Ronald L. Katz, M.D.,Chair, Department of Anesthesiology, David Geffen School of Medicine at University of California-Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California.