Dear Friends!

Our program, the 21st Annual Advanced Interventional Pain Conference and Practical Workshop in Budapest Conference, reflects significant changes, developments and recognizes the needs in evolutionary trail. Traditionally over the last twenty-one years, this program developed into the best in this field. The clinical relevance is able to attract the finest speakers just like you will observe. Our emphasis is improvement with increased safety and better quality treatment of patients suffering from intractable miserable chronic pain. Neuromodulation is evolving in producing more evidence, improved technology and surprising new treatments and modalities for conditions that one would never have expected.

In order to meet this need, we are adding 3 extra fresh cadaver stations, including 1 to focus on dorsal root ganglion (DRG) stimulation. Participants interested have a chance to learn how to place durable electrodes of any of our neuromodulation sponsors. The program has been put together following a lot of consideration by the program committee and Dr. James E. Heavner who left us very unexpectedly after we completed this program. DRG stimulation and function is one of the main emphasis where significant clinical experience and teaching will mesh with the practical opportunities of the participants.
Effective treatment in chronic pain, central pain, neuropsychiatric disorders, peripheral and central painful conditions is becoming realities. One inescapable fact is that interventional pain works and saves lives from unnecessary misuse and overuse of opioids. The surprising long term favorable outcomes and reduction in surgical interventions in spinal disorders is coming from multiple studies, laboratory and clinical studies in the field. We are fortunate to have one of the leaders Dr. Anthony Yeung in minimally invasive surgical procedures. First opportunity to hear about high frequency stimulation by Dr. Adnan Al-Kaisy and his new experience with DRG stimulation as well as Dr. Robert Levy and Dr. Marshall Devor will enlighten us about the new and exciting revelations and basic sciences of the dorsal root ganglion.

Ultrasound guidance is gaining wider use and acceptance and we are happy to see that the opportunity is there for our participants to take part in the educational process for the second year in a row at our Budapest Conference.

In the awards ceremony, we shall not only recognize the new graduates of WIP’s FIPP Examinations but also graduates of the CIPS Ultrasound Examination. For the second year in the row, we shall recognize two of the great for the Trail Blazer Award, Dr. John Loeser and Dr. James E. Heavner.
The FIPP Examination for the major part came out of our initial use of cadavers 34 years ago at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center in Lubbock, Texas. The numbers of FIPP graduates is close to 1,000 and the respect and credibility together with the pride of those who successfully completed the process is spreading worldwide. We are ever so grateful to our sponsors who help to maintain the quality and integrity of the program. Every year we have to earn the quality stamp of approval as evidenced by the participants coming from so many countries. Budapest has the culture, climate, food, music and the ambiance where you make friends and keep friends. One of the hallmarks is that every single participant leaves with more knowledge for better and safer patient care.

I have to thank the local arrangement chairperson, Dr. Edit Racz, and the committee. The Scientific Program Committee with the wisdom and vision of Dr. James E. Heavner have succeeded in putting together an outstanding program. We are grateful for the leadership of Dr. Kris Vissers, our WIP President along with the Executive Committee, the Section Chairs and all the members who come to participate. The Ultrasound Program has been in cooperation with Dr. Agnes Stogicza and Dr. Michael Gofeld. The program reflects that the faculty themselves are leaders in their field as well as WIP. The planning of the local arrangements through the local arrangement committee and Sandra Vamos and Bea Golovanova with Congressline has always been outstanding. The WIP office staffs of Dianne Willard and Mark Tolliver and the volunteers that make the process work are all appreciated, especially Paula Brashear, my long-time secretary.

We look forward to seeing you in Budapest.

IT’S NEVER TOO LATE; YOU CAN SIGN UP AT THE DOOR!

Gabor B. Racz, MD, DABIPP, FIPP Program Director Grover E. Murray Professor Professor and Chairman Emeritus at TTUHSC Founder and Past President WIP Member of WIP Executive Board