|
Number 1 2002 Page 1
|
Contents: Message from the President |
|
Message
from |
"It is an honour and pleasure to be president of the Division for the next two years. The IAP has been pivotal for me in the vocation of anatomical pathologist. The Australasian Division has steadily expanded the scope of its activities over the years, and I am committed to see its role as a first class scientific organization for our specialty continue." Robert Ecktsein
Annual General Meeting This year, the theme of the Annual Meeting is gastrointestinal, with Saturday devoted to pathology of the gastrointestinal tract, and Sunday to pancreatic and gallbladder pathology. Last year the format of the Companion Meetings on Friday was altered. This was deemed successful and will be repeated this year. We have two excellent speakers from overseas, as well as key contributors from Australasia. Dr Robert Petras will give lectures entitled: Gastro-oesophageal reflux and BarrettÕs oesophagus, and Biopsy diagnosis in patients suspected of having inflammatory bowel disease. He will also conduct a slide seminar. Dr Petras was until recently Chairman of the Department of Anatomic Pathology at the Cleveland Clinic, Ohio, and has recently taken the position of Director of Gastrointestinal Services at Ameripath Incorporated, in Ohio. He has a wealth of experience in gastrointestinal pathology, and those who have heard him speak in the United States will know that he is a superb communicator. Presenting on the same day will be Dr Jeremy Jass, Professor of Pathology at the University of Queensland. Dr Jass will lecture on: New genetic concepts in colorectal neoplasia. Dr Jass is truly at the forefront of research in this area, and this lecture will link recent genetic findings with the appearances seen by the histopathologist. On Sunday, Dr David Owen will present lectures entitled: Carcinoma of the pancreas and its precursor lesions, and Neoplastic and non-neoplastic polyps of the gallbladder, and conduct a slide seminar. Dr Owen is Professor of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine at the University of British Columbia, and Consultant Pathologist in Anatomical Pathology at Vancouver General Hospital. Dr Owen trained in London, moving to Canada in 1976. He has published widely in the field of gastrointestinal pathology and has recently published a popular monograph entitled: Pathology of the Pancreas, Gallbladder and Extra-hepatic Bile Ducts. He is a highly polished and much sought after speaker. Companion Meetings The Companion meetings will run throughout Friday and many will include slide seminars. A highlight will be the Vincent McGovern Lecture. This was inaugurated in 1984, in memory of the founding President of the Australasian Division of the IAP and one of the most distinguished of Australian pathologists. The lecture will be delivered by Dr Stan McCarthy, who has succeeded Dr McGovern in having unparalleled experience and expertise in melanoma pathology. Poster Display As in previous years there will be a poster display, coordinated by Dr Soon Lee, and a trade display. I would encourage you all to support these important parts of our meeting, and also to attend the social events, including the dinner at L'Aqua, a very pleasant and very trendy restaurant on the shore of Darling Harbour opposite the Convention Centre. Web Site An exciting recent development is the website for our Division. At present this gives details of meetings, includes the newsletters, and has links to other Divisions of the IAP. Forms for submission of abstracts for this year's annual meeting can be downloaded. On-line registration for the meeting is expected very shortly. The website owes its existence to the planning of Dominic Spagnolo, and the continuing development by Richard Jaworski and Jan McLean. Another reflection of changing technology will be seen in the introduction of handouts from the annual meeting on CD for the first time. This will be in addition to the usual hard copy format. Congress 2004 Planning for the 25th International Congress to be held in Brisbane at the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre, October 10 - 15, 2004, is proceeding steadily under the guidance of Robin Cooke. I am convenor of the scientific programme, and I have been greatly encouraged by the enthusiasm of all those I have so far approached to contribute to the meeting. I am in the process of assembling a scientific committee, which is as yet not complete. I, and other members of the planning committees, cannot approach everyone personally. Please come forward if you wish to contribute in any way, and remember to note down the dates in your diary. I look forward to seeing you all at the meeting in Sydney. Bob Eckstein |
|
Introducing the President of the Australasian Division 2001 - 2003 |
Dr Robert Philip Eckstein graduated MBBS from the University of Sydney in 1976. From 1978 to 1982 he trained in Anatomical Pathology at the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Sydney. Training was under Dr Vincent McGovern from 1978 to 1981. During his training he spent one year at Charing Cross Hospital, London, in the Department of Professor William Symmers. In 1983 he was appointed staff specialist in Anatomical Pathology at the Royal North Shore Hospital, Sydney (Pacific Laboratory Medicine Services). In 1993 he became Head of Department and in 1995 he was given the title Clinical Associate Professor from the University of Sydney. His interests are gastrointestinal tract and liver, renal, and endocrine pathology. In preparation for the IAP Congress in 2004 he has taken on the duties of Chairman of the Scientific Committee, responsible for the Scientific Program for the Congress. |
|
Website UPDATE
|
Please refer to the website which now contains information re: • 28th Annual Scientific Meeting and On-line bookings • XXIVth International Congress of the International Academy of Pathology, Amsterdam 5-11 October, 2002.The full programme and registration is on-line through our webpage or direct www.iap2002.com • 1st "Arkadi M. Rywlin International Pathology Slide Seminar" Symposium in Anatomical Pathology 19-21 June, 2002, San Giovanni Rotondo (FG), Italy • New member application form. Please encourage and direct potential new members to the site. |
|
Subscriptions- REMINDER |
Subscription payments for 2002 have been timely received this year, many taking advantage of credit card payments. Please check your records as to whether you may be one of the slower payers. Our end of financial year is 28th February Š not too late for you to be shown as a financial member. Note: amount for 2002 is $100.00 plus $10 GST if Australian resident. |
|
Memories of the 2001 Meeting |
A group of present and former New Zealanders attending the IAP meeting in Sydney, June 5, 2001 Graham Mason, Tim Sutton, Mary Miller, Victor Ojeda, David Bruton, Ian Taylor, Alan King, Jim Kirker, Tony Moore.
Organisers of the Breast Seminar on Saturday Peter Robbins (Perth), Wendy Raymond (Adelaide), Michael Bilous (Sydney), Gelarch Farshid (Adelaide), Janes Armes (Melbourne), Stuart Schnitt (Brigham & Womens Hospital, Boston).
Michael Frack, Barbara Rogleff (both from Sydney), John Docker (Goulburn).
Linda Iles (Hobart), Kate Stewart (Melbourne), Julie Lokan (Melbourne)
Rooschdiya Karim (Sydney), Lyndal Hyland (Sydney), Ushma Samaraweera (Sydney)
Melinida Pennell (Adelaide), Michael Schrapnel (Adelaide), Benhur Amanuel (Adelaide)
Eddy Ong (Perth), Ben Wood (Newcastle), Dianne Reeves (Sydney)
Michael Texter (Adelaide), Nick Rodgers (Adelaide). |
|
SPONSORSHIP DONATIONS for Congress |
2004 Companies QML Pathology Individuals Dr Ann Warrell |
|
Congratulations to Robin Cooke on being awarded an O.B.E. (Order of the British Empire) in the Queen's New Year Honours List for services to Papua New Guinea. |
|
|
Voluntary
|
Introduction Pathologists Overseas**, a non-profit organisation founded in 1991 and incorporated in the State of California, aims to help improve and provide affordable pathology services to underserviced patients world-wide. Volunteer pathologists serve for a period of approximately one month, paying their own travel expenses and accommodation, which is available at reasonable rates near the hospital laboratory. In this communication a five week placement at the Patan Hospital in Nepal is described. Nepalese Background Nepal, the birthplace of Budda (?560 - 480BC), has a unique and intriguing religious and cultural heritage. Although now a Hindu country, there is impressive religious tolerance, especially for the Buddhist Community, whose temples are situated alongside Hindu shrines. A visit to the museum in Patan is one of the best ways to learn of their culture and tradition. Kathmandu and Patan are now a single city encircled by a ring road built by Chinese development aid, and nestled in the Kathmandu valley. Rice fields and maize symbolise the agricultural way of life of the majority of the population. The Himalaya range of mountains to the north is an ever present backdrop to village life and separates Nepal from China (Tibet). Indian borders are on the south, east, and west sides of the country. It is presently a time of political and social unrest in Nepal, with changes towards democratic Government in 1990, the rise of Maoist insurgence in the last six years, and the recent Royal Family massacre in June 2001. The populace, however, appears to be wanting peaceful resolution of the problems. Tourism and trekking for expatriates, are a major part of the country's economy which has suffered in recent times because of this unrest. Hospitals and Medical Schools Patan Hospital is a busy general hospital, supported by United Mission to Nepal (UMN) and the Nepal Government, and is one of ten general and specialist hospitals in the Kathmandu province. There is a medical school attached to the Trihuvan Teaching Hospital on the other side of Kathmandu, with approximately forty medical graduates each year. A small number of doctors are undertaking postgraduate studies in Pathology in the pathology department of this medical school. (One of the teachers from this medical school attended the Australasian Division AGM two years). The working language is English. Pathology at the Patan Hospital There are twenty or more local Nepalese staff in the pathology laboratory of the Patan Hospital who perform standard laboratory tests in Haematology, Blood Transfusion, Biochemistry, and Microbiology, using basic tests and equipment reminiscent of the early automation era in the 1970's. The Histopathology staff produce good quality sections, but immunoperoxidase stains are too expensive to be done. The pathologist is an expatriate Korean, Dr Min Cul Lee who is supported by UMN. The writer's role was to provide a locum service while the UMN pathologist was on recreation leave in Korea. The local staff showed me examples of worms and parasites currently being diagnosed. In order, these were Hymanolepsis nana, Ascaris, Hookworm (including larval stages), Giardia, and Taenia species. Enteric fever (especially Typhoid and El Tor Cholera) is common, particularly in the monsoon season, and blood cultures positive for salmonella typhi are found almost every day. Sputa positive for acid fast bacilli are also received virtually every day. Cobras, kraits and green pit vipers cause most of the 1 000 fatalities from snakebite each year. The histopathology workload was moderate in size with a full range of general diagnoses including many advanced cancers. Cytology services are at a primitive stage and in the five weeks there were four invasive cervical carcinomas including one adenocarcinoma, but only five cervical biopsies showing intraepithelial carcinoma. lymph nodes with tuberculosis averaged one or two a day, and there were cases of tuberculous peritonitis, osteomyelitis, endometritis, and tuberculosis of the skin. Two examples of cysticercosis (one ovary and one skin) were seen, as well as trophic lepromatous ulcers including one with squamous carcinoma. Postgraduate pathology is being taught at the Teaching Hospital on the other side of Kathmandu. Enjoying the Experience - Personal Matters Dr Lee met us at the airport in Kathmandu, and helped us with our baggage through the crowd of taxis. At our flat there was the need to boil and filter water and to learn to use the small electric stove without receiving an electric shock. Dr Lee helped us get on line and establish email contact with the outside world. For two weekends we took guided tours of Kathmandu and Patan. We gradually met more people in the expatriate community and then started travelling by ourselves in taxis, tempos, and small and large buses in the city and the countryside, meeting Nepalese and expatriate contacts. Many Nepalese people we met could speak English and we had little difficulty with communication. With so many things still to do in Nepal we have little choice than to offer to go again. Dr David E. Evans,
Glen Osmond, South Australia. |
