Didn't Dr. Sclafani mention that ISNVD was not procedure-focused, and that around 1 in 5 attendees were IRs?
Here is their Who We Are statement:
Quote:
Who We Are
The International Society for NeuroVascular Disease is a non-profit professional association devoted to furthering the development of research for neurovascular related diseases - including CCSVI. The society will hold annual scientific meetings and sponsor educational and scientific workshops. Target medical groups include, but are not limited to, Vascular Surgeons, Interventional Radiologists, Neurologists, Neurosurgeons, Physicists, and Technologists.
http://www.isnvd.org/They define themselves as research-focused, which would include research into techniques but also into the "why it works" side.
I like that they cast a broad net. Proceduralists do need additional more focused meetings. Perhaps SIR fills that need? Or Dr. Sclafani's NY symposium?
Who, what, where, when, how and why! All good questions. They can be asked of CCSVI itself, and they can be asked of the treatment of CCSVI (who benefits/patient selection; what is being treated; where; when/how often should the treatment be repeated or how early in the disease course; how/all the techniques, including ivus; and why/does it result in benefits.)
I didn't pick up on the silence in the press over ISVND, but now that Joan mentions it, it is rather glaring.