PROF. DIAA RIZK REPORTS ON SUFU ANNUAL MEETING (NEW ORLEANS, LA - USA)

Dear Members,

I attended the Annual Meeting of SUFU (Society of Urodynamics, Female Pelvic Medicine and Urogenital Reconstruction) held in New Orleans, Louisiana, USA between 23-27 February, 2016. I presented a poster about my studies with the Department of Physiology entitled ‘Effect of human chorionic gonadotrophin on the in-vitro contractions of stimulated detrusor muscles of female rats’.

This was my first participation in a SUFU meeting. The scientific programme was excellent. Although the scientific committee is mainly composed of Urologist colleagues from the USA, the urogynaecology content was outstanding and comprehensive, covering all topics from pelvic floor trauma at childbirth to chronic pelvic pain. The scientific findings were applicable to practice in different countries including our Mediterranean region. More importantly, the basic sciences component and emerging themes of managed-based care and care pathways in female pelvic floor dysfunctions were discussed at length and their significance highlighted to the audience. The award ceremony for best presentations, distinguished service and life achievement were the perfect finale of a successful meeting. The meeting organization and the social environment were superb adding to the glamour of a most wonderful city: New Orleans.

Dr. Eric Rovner, the SUFU President and Ms. Heather Swanson, the SUFU Executive Director, gave me (as a representative of MIPS) a very warm welcome. Eric and Heather kindly invited me to the President’s cocktail reception where I met with the SUFU Board members and had several discussions on how to expand the collaboration agreement between our societies. We appreciate that Dr. Gary Lemack, the new SUFU President, will deliver the SUFU lecture in MIPS Malta.

I encourage all our MIPS members to participate in future SUFU annual meetings: a must attend scientific event. I would like to remind the MIPS membership to take advantage of our signed collaborative agreement with SUFU in 2015 whereby MIPS members have the same discounted SUFU membership registration rate for SUFU meetings. All my very best wishes and I am looking forward to seeing you all in Malta in December.

Diaa Rizk Chairman of the Executive Board