IN MEMORIA DEL PROF SCOPINARO

Cari Fellows,
devo purtroppo informarvi che è mancato ieri a Genova Nicola Scopinaro, Professore Ordinario di Chirurgia Generale dell’Università di Genova, Fondatore e Presidente Onorario della SICOb e dell’International Federation for Surgery of Obesity and Metabolic Disorders (IFSO), pioniere della Chirurgia Bariatrica in Italia e nel mondo.
Il Prof.Scopinaro era Honorary Fellow dell’American College of Surgeons, riconoscimento cui teneva moltissimo: dal 2007, anno del conferimento del titolo, portava sempre, sulla sua immancabile giacca blu, il distintivo dell’ACS.
Nicola Scopinaro è stata l’icona della chirurgia bariatrica in Italia e nel mondo - era la sua ragione di vita.
Ha cercato i "perché" nella chirurgia bariatrica con metodo rigoroso, infinita passione ed amore per la scienza, con l’entusiasmo di un giovane ricercatore e l’umiltà di un grande uomo, nella ricerca della comprensione delle cause delle malattie metaboliche.
Un grande ed autorevole maestro: come sanno generazioni di chirurghi, era sorprendentemente, sempre, disponibile a parlare, spiegare, discutere con tutti, specie con i più giovani.
Un grande esempio di scienziato e di uomo, con uno stile unico: non lo dimenticheremo.

Nicola Di Lorenzo, MD, PhD, FACS
President Elect, ACS Italy Chapter

2020 ACS ITALY CHAPTER BEST RESIDENT PRESENTATION AWARD
Residents in General Surgery are invited to send their abstracts for the ACS Italy Chapter National Congress.
Active residents in an Italian general surgery residency program will be able to participate.
The candidates must be RAS-ACS members (Resident and Associate Society of the American College of Surgeons) and active residents in general surgery when they submit the abstract.
The abstract should necessarily be no more than 2 typewritten (Ariel 12) double-spaced pages. The abstract should include the Title, the Authors (the resident has to be the first Author - 5 Authors max.) the Institution, Background, Material and Methods, Results and Conclusions. One of the Authors of the abstract has to be an active Fellow of the ACS and active Member of the ACS Italy Chapter, up to date with ACS Italy Chapter dues.
Abstracts should be submitted to giuseppe.nigri@uniroma1.it by November 10, 2020
The best presentation will be awarded by ACS Italy Chapter with a prize of € 500 and the opportunity to participate in a two-day Laparoscopic Colorectal 3D ICG Guided Surgery Course at Pederzoli Hospital (Peschiera del Garda VR)

To subscribe as RAS-ACS member, please visit the following webpage https://www.facs.org/member-services/ras/membership

IN MEMORIA DEL PROF FRANCO MOSCA
1942-2020

  Professor Franco Mosca, Professor Emeritus and past Chairman of the Department of Surgery at the University of Pisa, Italy, passed away in Pisa on May 31st, 2020. Born in Biella, Italy, on February 27, 1942, he obtained his MD degree from the Collegio Medico-Giuridico of the University of Pisa in 1966; five years later he graduated from the General Surgery Residency of the Department of Surgery at the University of Pisa and stayed on as an Assistant Professor. At that time, the Department was known for treatment of common benign and malignant gastrointestinal, biliary, urological and thoracic pathology and had just started a kidney transplant program: over the course of the following four decades the visionary Professor Mosca transformed the Department of Surgery at the University of Pisa into a highly advanced and sophisticated academic quaternary center of excellence in oncologic, vascular and solid organ transplantation surgery.

This was done in a step-wise fashion following an organic vision based on clinical excellence. At first, Prof Mosca strengthened the kidney transplant program, later on followed by a pancreas and kidney-pancreas transplant program, started surgical treatment of portal hypertension after a six month fellowship in London with Dame Sheila Sherlock and vascular surgery complemented by a sojourn with a member of this Association, Dr. Antony Imparato, at New York University. Prof Mosca then expanded gastrointestinal surgical oncology to include advanced pancreatic and hepatobiliary surgery, and embraced laparoscopic surgery. After a prolonged stay at the University of Chicago with yet another member of this Association, Dr. Christoph Broelch, Professor Mosca was able to start a very successful liver transplant program.   With the addition of liver transplants to a growing kidney and pancreas transplant program, by the late 90’s Professor Mosca had created the busiest transplant surgery program in Italy with the largest series of kidney-pancreas transplants in Europe. Simultaneously, Professor Mosca dedicated himself to improve hospital facilities creating a state of the art surgical unit with advanced ORs and ICUs. He also developed advanced endoscopic and ultrasound diagnostic and therapeutic services as integral components of the Department of Surgery, based on his believe that we surgeons are well positioned to obtain the best clinical outcomes only when we are facile with all these diagnostic and therapeutic modalities.

Professor Mosca paid equal attention to the development of a strong research unit with clinical outcome research, basic science research and translational research. The development of the clinical outcome research came first as a by-product of the expansion of the clinical services. This was followed by the establishment of a laboratory of tumor immunology. Then, in the early 90's, Professor Mosca was again visionary in establishing collaborative ties with the Department of Biomedical Engineering of the University of Pisa. This led to the formation of a bioengineering laboratory in the Department of Surgery. This effort matured into a Center for Advanced Surgery (CAS) dedicated to skills training and research in computed-guided surgery, which was recognized as one of only two “center of excellence” by the Italian Health Ministry and was accredited by the American College of Surgeons.

  In the process, Prof. Mosca authored more than 400 papers in the areas of gastrointestinal oncology, vascular surgery, endoscopy, ultrasound imaging, laparoscopy and transplantation, and became one of the most respected and influential Italian and European surgeons. These exceptional accomplishments were recognized in Italy with the Cherubino award, the highest award conferred by the University of Pisa (2000) and the Gold Medal for Health Care by the Italian Republic (2005); and abroad with Honorary Membership in the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburg (2006), in the Polish Surgical Society (2008), in the American Surgical Association (2009) and in the American College of Surgeons (2018).

All along his professional career, Professor Mosca combined incredible vision, determination, outstanding organizational qualities and indefatigable energy. In a Country, Italy, with limited resources for health care and research, these qualities are not sufficient to guarantee success. Professor Mosca realized the existence of this challenge long time ago and created one of the first Foundations for Medical Research in Italy, the Associazione Pisana di Ricerche in Chirurgia. A decade later this foundation morphed into a second one, called “Arpa”, created with the help of Maestro Andrea Bocelli. Better supported and with a broader reach, Arpa has been able to distribute funds for clinical and research programs in Surgery, and has funded the medical training of many physicians from underdeveloped countries.

Professor Mosca was a man with a strong-willed character, an excellent physician and surgeon, a demanding teacher and a person attentive to others. A man of rare integrity and exceptional stature, he dedicated his whole life to his patients, his students and the less fortunate. He is survived by his wife of 53 years, Giuseppina Bottino Mosca; three daughters: Marta Mosca, MD, MPH, Professor and Chairperson of the Immunology Unit of the University of Pisa; Elena Mosca, MBA, Irene Mosca, MD; and 3 grandchildren.

              Fabrizio Michelassi, M.D., FACS

2018: ACS Clinical Congress in Boston with Surgical Residents

ACS SURGICAL REVIEW COURSE

ACS Italy Chapter Annual Congress - October 14-18, 2018 - Rome, Italy

ACS GISE - GASTROINTESTINAL SURGICAL EMERGENCIES COURSE

ACS AAS FUNDAMENTALS OF SURGICAL RESEARCH COURSE

Dr. Nigri and Dr. Zarrimpar at the ACS Clinical Congress discuss on the RAS-ACS International Exchange Program between Italy and US. Dr. Zarrimpar was an International Exchange Scholar in 2014 (Rome, Italy)

The ACS Italy Chapter participated at the National Congress of the Residency and PhD Programs in General Surgery and Surgical Specialties. Modena, June 22-24, 2017. Great edition of the Surgical Jeopardy!

The ACS Italy Chapter Meeting in Catania. From left to right: Prof. Basile, Prof. Bass, Prof. Di Cataldo and Prof La Greca

ACS ITALY CHAPTER SPRING MEETING - The next National Meeting of the ACS Italy Chapter will be held in Catania on May 4-5 2017. The Surgical Jeopardy will be part of the meeting.

The Bulletin of the American College of Surgeons, February 2017. The relation between the ACS Italy Chapter and the AISNA (Association of Italian Surgeons in North America) is acknowledged by the ACS Bulletin.

SURGICAL GRAND ROUNDS
SAPIENZA UNIVERSITY OF ROME
ST. ANDREA UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL
OCTOBER 5, 2017, 8.30-9.30 am - ROOM C

Prof. Karl Bilimoria will present
1) Collaborative Approaches to Improving the Quality of Surgical Care
2) Informing Policy with Evidence: the FIRST Residency Duty Hour Trial
3) Improving Adherence to Cancer Treatment Guidelines

Karl Bilimoria, MD MS
John B. Murphy Professor of Surgery
Director, Surgical Outcomes and Quality Improvement Center (SOQIC)
Vice President, Quality – Northwestern Medicine
Vice Chair for Quality, Department of Surgery
Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University

ACS Italy Chapter Annual Congress - May, 4-5, 2017 - Catania, Italy

Patronage of ACS Italy Chapter

ACS ITALY CHAPTER ANNUAL MEETING IN ROME

MONDAY - SEPTEMBER 26, 2016

IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE ACS MASSACHUSETTS CHAPTER

Please, below find the program of our Annual Meeting that will be held in September at Auditorium Parco della Musica in Rome, simultaneusly with the Italian Society for Surgery and many others surgical Societies

8.30-10.00 -  LIMPHATICS AND LIMPHNODES – Round table

PRESIDENTS: CORRADINO CAMPISI, MD, FACS (GENOVA)

MODERATORS: BIAGIO RAVO, MD, FACS (ROMA), GIOVANNI LI DESTRI (CATANIA)

Panelists: Marco Fisichella (Boston, MA, USA), Salvo Gruttadauria (Catania), Giovanni Li Destri (Catania), Rosario Vecchio (Catania), Francesco Boccardo (Genova), Corrado Cesare Campisi (Genova)

Discussants:  Marco Caricato, Claudio Coco, Nicola Di Lorenzo, Paolo Magistri, Andrea Mingoli, Alberto Montori, Giuseppe Nigri, Alessandro Paganini, Francesco Stipa, Roberto Verzaro

Conclusions

10.00-11.30 - ENVIRONMENT AND TUMOURS

PRESIDENT: ANTONIO DI CATALDO, MD, FACS (CATANIA)

MODERATORSI: MASSIMO CARLINI,. MD, FACS (ROMA), F. CETTA

F. Puccio (Brescia)

L. Musmeci (Roma)

P. Comba (Roma)

F. Forastieri (Roma)

C. Magnani (Torino)

F. Donato (Brescia)

11.30-13.00 -  EVOLVING EDUCATIONAL MODELS IN SURGICAL TRAINING

PRESIDENT: LUCIO ACHILLE GASPARI, MD, FACS

MODERATORS: ALESSANDRO M. PAGANINI, MD, FACS; GIUSEPPE NIGRI, MD, FACS   

• -How Do New Technologies Affect Surgical Training: Personal Considerations. Alberto Montori, MD, FACS (Hon.), Rome.  (Lecture - 10 min.).
• -Surgical Education Through Simulation. Franco Mosca, MD, FACS, EndoCas, Pisa. (Lecture - 10 min.)
• -General Surgery Residency Program in USA: the evolution of a model. Douglas Smink, MD, FACS, Harvard Medical School, Boston, USA (Lecture - 10 min.)

ACS International Exchange Program:

• -Evolution of Robotic Training in USA. Anthony Feghali, MD, State University of New York, NY,  2016 RAS-ACS US Awardee (7 min)

Best Resident Presentation Award:

• 1.Michela Ceriotti et al: Hand-assisted vs. pure laparoscopic colorectal surgery: a district community hospital experience. Genoa
• 2.Marina Troian et al: Laparoscopic vs. open approach for advanced colorectal cancer in the elderly. Ten-year experience in a single center. Trieste
• 3.Ardit Seitaj et al: Near-infrared fluorescence cholangiography with indocyanine green  during laparoscopic cholecystectomy to improve biliary and vascular identification in complicated cases: preliminary results. Rome
• 4.Gabriele Biello et al.: Interval breast cancers: evaluation 10 years after the introduction in trieste of the Friuli Venezia Giulia screening program. Trieste
• 5.Serena Elisa Tempera et al.: Role of surgeon performed neck US scan in the detection of central neck node metastases in patients with papillary thyroid carcinoma. Rome

LIMPH, LYMPHATICS AND LYMPH NODES IN SURGERY BEST PRACTICE: STATE OF THE ART

The Meeting "Lymph, Lymphatics, and Lymph Nodes in Surgery Best Practice: State-of-the-Art" was held in Genoa on the 27th of May 2016, under the auspices of the American College of Surgeons - Italy Chapter and attended by more than 300 participants.

The event, recognized as a “Training Project” of the Italian Society of Surgery (SIC), was organized in close collaboration with the regional Societies of Surgery Società Ligure di Chirurgia, Società Siciliana di Chirurgia, and Società Lombarda di Chirurgia, and with the participation of the Latin- Mediterranean Chapter of the International Society of Lymphology,  the European Society of Lymphology, the Italian Society of Lymphangiology, the Italian Society of University Surgeons (including the College of Professors of General Surgery), the Italian Society of Surgical Pathophysiology, the Italian Society of Digestive System Pathology, the Polyspecialist Italian Society of Young Surgeons, the Italian Society of Surgical Research, the Triveneto's Society of Surgery, and the Coordination Committee ACOI (Associazione Chirurghi Ospedalieri Italiani) - Regione Liguria.

The conference was chaired by Corradino Campisi (President of the American College of Surgeons - Italy Chapter), Ferdinando Cafiero (President of the Società Ligure di Chirurgia), Stefano Puleo (President of the Società Siciliana di Chirurgia and of the Italian Society of Surgical Research), and Giovanni Sgroi (President of the Società Lombarda di Chirurgia).

On behalf of the American College of Surgeons-Italy Chapter, the high scientific standing of the event was ensured by the attendance of many ACS Fellows, including but not limited to, Professor Antonio Di Cataldo (Governor, Catania), Professor Achille Lucio Gaspari (Past Governor, Rome), Professor Francesco Puccio (Past President, Brescia), Professor Biagio Ravo (2nd Vice President, Rome) and Professor Dalila Patrizia Greco (Women Surgeons Committee, Milan). An essential contribution to the event organization and coordination of all the Chapter's members was given by the important work carried out in Rome by Prof. Giuseppe Nigri (Chapter Treasurer and Administrator), in particular regarding the relationship with the Italian Society of Surgery (SIC).

Held in the historic and architectural setting of Genoa's monumental Palazzo della Borsa, the conference mainly focused on the leading role played today by prevention techniques and early treatment of lymphatic complications in different fields of oncological surgery: much attention was paid to lymph-vessel sparing techniques, and wherever possible, to clinical applications of Lymphatic Microsurgery..

SURGICAL JEOPARDY IN NAPLES

On June 11 a new Session of the ACS Surgical Jeopardy was held in Naples in conjunction with the European Society for Surgery.

Surgical residents from Poland, Moldova, Pavia, Modena, Naples, Chieti, Rome Sapienza, and Roma Catholic University partecipated in the competition.

The surgical residents from Modena won the competition, and will be invited to attend the European Surgical Society Meeting in Poland, in 2017

AISNA PRESENTED IN NAPLES

On June 11 2016, in Naples and in conjunction with the European Society for Surgery and the European Meeting of Resident and PhDs in Surgery, the Association of Italian Surgeons of North America - AISNA - has been introduced tu numerous resident present at the meeting. You can get more informations on AISN A at www.facsitaly.org

BEST RESIDENT PRESENTATION AWARD
Residents can now send their abstracts for ACS Italy Chapter Meeting in Rome (October 25-29 , 2016). Active Residents in an Italian general surgery program will be able to participate. The candidates must be RAS-ACS members and active residents in general surgery when they submit the abstract. The abstract should necessarily be no more than 2 typewritten (Ariel 12) double-spaced pages. The abstract should include the Title, the Authors (the resident has to be the first Author - 5 Authors max.) the Institution, Background, Material and Methods, Results and Conclusions. Abstracts should be submitted to giuseppe.nigri@uniroma1.it by May 31, 2016 - Please visit the RAS page on www.facsitaly.org

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