Invitation from the President

Dear Colleagues and Friends,

On behalf of the Board and Council of the European Society of Anaesthesiology (ESA), it is a great honour and pleasure to invite you to Euroanaesthesia 2010 on June 12-15th, in Helsinki, Finland. This will be the sixth annual meeting of the ESA which will focus on Education, Research and Innovation, and provide new and exciting initiatives for us all.

Education will have a prominent place at the meeting due to the real need for improvement in medical training throughout Europe.

Research in basic sciences and clinical experimentation is essential for the development of Anaesthesiology and especially those projects supporting multicentre studies.

Innovation implies the successful application into practice of new ideas.

The Scientific Programme Committee has planned a comprehensive programme including refresher courses, interactive discussions, workshops and abstract presentations. Internationally renowned clinical and scientific experts in the field of Anaesthesiology have been invited together with lecturers from other related areas of expertise. This reflects the vision of the ESA to develop closer communication and cooperation with other scientific societies, which have expertise in specific medical areas with mutual interests.

During Euroanaesthesia 2010, the Helsinki Declaration on Patient Safety will be signed. A specific session organised by the European Board of Anaesthesiology in conjunction with the ESA will focus on how to reduce errors and enhance patient safety by the implementation of European policies. The one-day postgraduate interactive European Patient Safety Course, held by international experts, will provide insights into how errors evolve in medicine, what the root-causes are and how patient safety can be improved.

Specific sessions will be dedicated to: a) “Hot topics” in Anaesthesia, Critical Care Medicine, Emergency Medicine and Pain medicine; b) Changes in our profession: Intensive Care as part of the residency programme, and the increasing importance of women; c) The role of National Societies of Anaesthesiologists; and c) Quality assurance in the management of postoperative pain (organised by the World Federation of Societies of Anaesthesiologists). A visit to the Lahti Day Case Centre will be dedicated to preoperative evaluation, surgical care and recovery.

The first multicentre clinical study supported by ESA will be announced – a unique opportunity for European anaesthesiologists to join in a collaborative research project. Previous grants awarded by the ESA will also be presented in a specific research grant session.

Anaesthesiology is characterised by its high standard of technology. The industry committed to supporting our meeting will take part in the adjacent trade exhibition. There will be many opportunities for delegates to discover industry’s products and cutting edge technology at Euroanaesthesia 2010.

Finally, Euroanaesthesia 2010 will be a unique opportunity to visit Helsinki, one of the most beautiful cities in Northern Europe with Eastern and Western influences.

Helsinki offers an extensive, protected bird-rich wetland and a vast natural park teeming with lakes, wildlife and adventure. You will have plenty of touring and shopping opportunities to take advantage of in the city and its surroundings.

The ESA board is extremely grateful for the collaboration of the National Organising Committee chaired by Prof. Anne Vakkuri in the preparation of Euroanaesthesia 2010.

We hope that ESA becomes the governing body representing European Anaesthesiologists, and Euroanaesthesia the meeting point to discuss your questions with colleagues and to increase your network of personal contacts. This holds especially true for the young clinicians and researchers from all over Europe and beyond who have the opportunity to compete in the scientific and clinical activities in the world of Anaesthesiology

I look forward to seeing you in Helsinki!

Prof. Paolo Pelosi
President of the ESA