13th Congress of the European Rheumatoid Arthritis

Surgical Society ERASS

www.erass.org/congress

First announcement

Lund3 – 5 June 2004

Preliminary programmeSurgical treatment of younger arthritic patients

Outcome evaluationSurgical complications

The effect of DMARDs on joint destructionFree papers and posters

Workshops

Organizing Committee

PresidentU Rydholm (Lund) MembersP Kopylov (Lund)K Knutson (Lund)B Bylander (Lund)A Stefansdottir (Lund)C Munk Jensen (Copenhagen)M Hämälainen (Oulo)P Aaser (Oslo)

ERASS Executive CommitteePresident P Rozing (Leiden)Vice President B Simmen (Zürich)Honorary secretary D Herren (Zürich) Treasurer K Hamelynck (Amsterdam)Past president FW Hagena (Bad Oeyenhausen)Council Member CR Howie (Edinburgh) Council Member U Rydholm (Lund)Council Member RK Miehlke (Sendenhorst) 

ERASS Scientific CommitteeRG Nelissen (Leiden) A Lluch (Barcelona) RK Miehlke (Sendenhorst)AC Paus (Oslo)

Congress scheduleWednesday June 2 RegistrationThursday June 3 ERASS congressFriday June 4 ERASS congressSaturday June 5 ERASS congressSaturday - Sunday Post congress tours

Dear member or non-member of ERASS,

It will be the second time that ERASS meet in Scandinavia (Oslo was first in 1992).

The XIIIth ERASS Congress in Lund, Sweden will be organized in co-operation with the

Danish, Norwegian and Finnish Rheumatoid Arthritis Surgical Societies.

The main themes of the congress will be surgery in younger patients with RA,

evaluation of outcome, surgical complications and the effect of DMARDs on joint

destruction. Joint replacement in younger patients will be loaded more heavily and for a

longer time than in older patients, putting special demands on surgical technique and

choice of implants. Improved methods for evaluation of outcome have to be developed,

and the management of surgical complications is especially important in younger

patients. New data on the effect of modern anti-rheumatic drugs are also emerging.

Even if the young RA patient will be put in focus, free papers and posters on all RA-

related topics are invited.

In Lund, situated in the southernmost part of Sweden, just opposite to Copenhagen,

summer commonly arrives in late May or early June and we hope to be able to show

you this part of Scandinavia from its best.

You are most welcome to spend some memorable days with old and new friends with

an interest in RA-surgery.

The congress will be held at a conference center just outside Lund and shuttle buses

will provide a continuos link to the town center. It is also very easy to reach

Copenhagen and Denmark by the new Öresund bridge .

Make a reservation in your agenda for June 3-5, 2004.

Welcome!

Piet M Rozing Urban Rydholm

ERASS president Congress President

Lund and Leiden in February 2003

Information: urban.rydholm@ort.lu.seearly registration: info@destinationoresund.com

Pre-Congress Deadlines

1st announcement February 20032nd announcement, call for papers, abstract and registration form September 2003Abstract submission deadline February 1st 2004Confirmation of acceptance of paper/poster March 31st 2004Definite programme April 2004

Main sponsors:Centerpulse

EndoPlusJohnson&Johnson De Puy

Orthopaedic SurgeonsRheumatologists

are invited