Here is the feedback they sent out in the newsletter today. Worth a read:
"We have had the great pleasure of hosting with MS-CCSVI UK, the first CCSVI conference in the UK.
On Friday 29th we had 42 medical delegates from all over the world to share their experience in CCSVI. This included Professor Marian Simka from Poland (whose team have carried our over 800 CCSVI cases in the past year), Dr Ivo Petrov from Bulgaria (who has carried out 461 cases) and Dr Al Omari from Jordan (who has performed over 300 cases).
The main outcome from the Friday meeting was a great willingness to work together internationally to prove the case for CCSVI.
It is clear from the presentations on both days that some of the symptoms of MS are caused by venous congestion and that these are easily reversible by surgical intervention. The new reality is that MS (and probably other neurological conditions) have a mix of immune and vascular components and to treat this condition effectively we must address both aspects.
We also had interesting presentations from Dr Mark Haacke from the USA and Dr Sandy MacDonald from Canada, on imaging in CCSVI. There is general consensus that Doppler imaging is an essential part of CCSVI screening and that MRV is a useful adjunct to treatment for those involved in CCSVI treatment.
On the day before the conference we had the pleasure of carrying out the first two cases of CCSVI in the UK. I was fortunate enough to witness these cases carried out by Mr Donald Reid and Dr Ivo Petrov at The Edinburgh Clinic. Both cases were challenging so the presence of Dr Petrov was comforting. He has shown the importance of the Azygous vein in the proper management and treatment of CCSVI with over 70% of cases having significant Azygous involvement.
To actually witness the huge improvements in venous circulation that angioplasty can produce was truly amazing. It was my best day in my 30 years in Medicine.
It is clear that we have a remarkable new development in CCSVI which we have a duty to enforce. Although not everyone with MS will have treatable lesions; even if the minority have treatable venous lesions, we still need to treat these.
On the Saturday we had an excellent presentation by Gian Franco Campalani, a cardiothoracic surgeon who has undergone three CCSVI treatments. He gave a unique insight into the patient experience and the importance of persistence in seeking new treatments. His refusal to accept the side effects of the discredited CRAB drugs and his belief in alternatives is inspiring to all of us.
The key message is that CCSVI has arrived in the UK and on the available evidence, it is set to become a major player in the treatment of MS throughout the world."
